Marco Bezzecchi: “All my muscles are in a s**t situation”

Despite his physical conditions, Bezzecchi managed to deliver yet another podium after starting the 13-lap sprint from ninth on the grid.

Like race winner Jorge Martin, Bezzecchi carved his way through the field before overtaking Maverick Vinales for P3 on the final lap. 

• Vinales: ‘Suddenly I lost all the grip, our bike destroyed the tyres’ 
• Martin: “The pressure is still on Bagnaia”, leading the championship ‘a dream’

Speaking after the race, Bezzecchi said: “Was really difficult. I didn’t expect to arrive here today and get a podium in the sprint. I decided to start on Wednesday morning so it was pretty cool. 

“The start was good and in the first half of the sprint I felt very good physically. 

“I don’t know if it was the adrenaline from the chaos of the race start, as always, but I felt good and then after that, when I got myself behind Luca, I started to feel the slipstream and the hot air. 

“With the slipstream, stopping the bike is much tougher. There I started to struggle quite a lot. With Maverick even more because I was really close. But I was there and had to give my all. 

“The pain on the collarbone is nothing crazy, but it is more on the rest of the shoulder, my neck and all my muscles are in a s**t situation. 

“I have to compensate with something I normally use less. I don’t have too much pain when I’m not riding.”

Despite sweltering conditions in Indonesia over the course of the weekend thus far, Bezzecchi said this was not playing a role in him struggling physically.

“The heat is not a problem because I am in shape for the heat. But what makes me worried is all the braking on the right side of the track. 

“This is the most difficult part for me. Tomorrow, 27 laps I don’t know. I will try.”

While Bezzecchi gained points on Francesco Bagnaia, Martin winning the race resulted in him dropping further back in the standings.

Still, Bezzecchi is hopefully of keeping himself in the fight: “Anything is possible. I try to keep myself in the game and not too far from them. Also, from Brad who is very strong at the end of the championship. 

“For me, the target I had in my mind when I arrived here was to try and survive. 

“In any case, for sure the title fight is between Pecco and Jorge. They are closer and are stronger than me in the last races, except India.”