Marco Bezzecchi celebrated his and the Mooney VR46 team’s maiden pole position with a new MotoGP lap record in Thailand.
A 1’29.671 around Buriram’s Chang International Circuit saw the premier class rookie head an all-Ducati front row on Saturday afternoon as the Bologna factory dominated the action once again. The Italian bettering his fellow VR46 Academy training partner Pecco Bagnaia by 0.021s with his last lap dash.
"It was a fantastic day for sure,” Bezzecchi said after the celebrations. “Honestly, I didn't expect to make pole position but my lap was good and I knew it.
“When I arrived to the Parc Fermé was a big emotion with all my crew, all my guys. A very good feeling but also happy because we work very well since yesterday, because yesterday I was not very fast. From this morning, we made the step and I was very competitive also in terms of pace so was very nice day.
“This morning, I was already good in the last sector, but today I think I make a very good last corner and this gave me the possibility to achieve this pole position,” he continued. "Overall I was fast through all the lap and as soon as I saw that, like [Jack] Miller and Marc [Marquez], they were waiting a little bit I said 'Okay, I go alone. I try to make my best and let's see what I can do’ and I make this very good lap. So I'm very happy.”
Having already secured the rookie team’s first MotoGP podium, thanks to his second position at Assen in June, Bezzecchi was also the man to bring home its debut start at the head of a premier class race.
“I'm happy to bring the first pole position to the team because they deserve all that I can give to them for all their work.
So is the maiden victory also on the cards?
“The bike is competitive, also in the pace,” Bezzecchi confirmed. “Is a bike that is made to push at the limit always and is nice because at least you can stay very focused, to always push and try to brake as late as you can and try to do everything perfect. I think the grip of the bike is good, not the best maybe but in braking is very strong. Now, in the Moto GP of today, the braking part is very important so this is a very good characteristic of the bike.
“For tomorrow, honestly, will be difficult to choose the tyre because soft and medium are both good,” he continued looking ahead to his race strategy. “In FP4 I felt good with the medium so for the moment is on top of my list, but it's difficult to say. Anyway, I think the top riders like Pecco, Jorge [Martin], Fabio [Quartararo] and also Enea [Bastianini] and Luca [Marini], they are very, very fast, maybe something more than me so we have to study very well the data and try to find something more.”
