Marco Bezzecchi explains critical San Marino MotoGP error: “A strange movement”

A mistake in braking cost Marco Bezzecchi the lead of the San Marino Grand Prix that he’d held for 11 laps, and the Italian was ultimately unable to recover what he lost.

Bezzecchi led Marc Marquez in the opening stages of the race, just as he had in the Sprint, but where on Saturday it was Marquez who made the critical mistake, crashing from the lead only nine corners after he’d taken it, on Sunday it was Bezzecchi.

It was not as consequential as Marquez, but when Bezzecchi ran wide at turn eight on the 12th lap he relinquished the lead to the Ducati Lenovo Team rider and would not reclaim it.

“It was tough in braking especially because, when I tried the different compounds – the medium and the soft – in the rear, the only difference for me was in braking,” Marco Bezzecchi explained, speaking to MotoGP.com’s After the Flag post-race show.

“With the soft I had something more; it’s a similar sensation that I had already last year, but this year the difference was less, so I was really happy already because last year I was I think the only one that couldn’t use the medium. 

“So, then, unfortunately, from lap eight or nine, I started to struggle in braking, and Marc [Marquez] was close. We were both on the limit, so it was difficult to understand where I could push more or try to carry on like this. 

“On that corner [turn eight] I made a small mistake, but the bike made a strange movement. I didn’t want to lock the front so I had to release a bit the front brake and go a little bit wide.

“Because of this, Marc passed me. 

“Then, I said ‘Okay, now I try to stay close to him as much as I can to try to bounce back’. But it was not possible, unfortunately.”

Despite missing out on victory, Bezzecchi was pleased with his performance, which saw him finish only half-a-second behind Marquez. 

“It was a tough race but I gave my all – I wanted the victory so bad, to be honest, and I believed a lot,” he said.

“It was a tough race because the condition was a bit unknown because last night it was raining, then this morning the track was good but also patchy and also in the morning normally the track is always fantastic. 

“To start the race with the medium [compound rear tyre] – I worked on the medium but I didn’t really know what to expect – was tough. 

“I really gave my all to try to be close to Marc [Marquez] and to be ready to attack and it was not enough, unfortunately, but I really can’t complain at all because I gave everything I had and for the fans it was cool.”

Bezzecchi said that he was able to take satisfaction from that he could see Marquez was pushing to try to beat him, but explained that he feels Ducati and Marquez still have an advantage over himself and Aprilia in the second half of races.

“It was a tough race but also really beautiful because seeing that I was on the limit, but also seeing that Marc was pushing a lot and I was able to stay there is always fantastic,” the Aprilia Racing rider said  in the post-race press conference. 

“So, very happy. I always thought that I could bring home the win, it was my target – it’s quite obvious – but Marc was super-fast and I think they still have something more.

“Especially from mid-race to the end when the tyre goes down, they are able to be smoother, be quicker. 

“In the free practice we suffered less but then the conditions changed and we suffered more.

“Anyway, I’m very happy because the performance that I did was unbelievable, I really gave my all for the fans, for the factory, and for my team, the [VR46] Academy, and everyone. So, really happy.”

Having won in Silverstone, Bezzecchi was not able to say that the Misano weekend was his absolute best in MotoGP or of the season, but he was positive about it, in any case.

“The win obviously has a different taste, it’s true, but in terms of the overall performance and the mood of the weekend and everything, it was for sure one of the best,” he said.

“I cannot say it’s the best because when you win it’s much better, but it’s one of the best, anyway.”