Why Marco Bezzecchi's 'brain was on fire' at the Austrian GP
Marco Bezzecchi says his “brain was on fire” during the Austria MotoGP weekend
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi says his “brain was on fire” at the Austrian Grand Prix after “trying anything to improve” his speed.
The Italian bounced back from the disappointment of his costly San Marino Grand Prix crash to score a brace of third-place finishes at the Red Bull Ring.
However, he has lost further ground in the championship battle and is now 42 points behind Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin at the top of the standings.
Marco Bezzecchi narrowly missed out on beating Martin in Sunday’s 28-lap grand prix, having made a step forward from where he was in the sprint.
However, to do so, he said the data analysis meant his “brain was on fire”
“It feels great when you manage to stay close,” he told Sky Italy.
“In the end, I wasn’t far off, but on such a complex track, where tyre management is so crucial, even what seems like a small gap in the end is actually a lot.
“I’m happy I worked this way; I analysed everything, and my brain is on fire right now.
“I’ve picked up a little from everyone; I’ve kept my head down and tried to stay open to the idea of trying anything to improve, so I’m happy.”
Bezzecchi “still suffering” from a knee injury
Bezzecchi told the official MotoGP website afterwards that “we deserved” his third-place finish on the Sunday, having been dealt “a bit of luck” in the sprint due to Pedro Acosta’s crash.
He also noted that his long-standing knee injury continued to give him issues in the race.
“At the beginning I was fast, I tried to pass Jorge, just to let him know I’m still here,” Bezzecchi added, having led briefly on the opening lap.
“But after, I knew Jorge was a bit faster, and when he passed me I said, ‘No’, because I knew with the front I would be struggling in the next laps.
“And then Pedro passed me and I was struggling more and more, and I lost the front in the last corner and went wide and lost a lot of time.
“After, I tried to get my head down and push, and after I closed the gap again to Jorge.
“I lost the chance to try when I made a very small mistake in T1, and for this I was a little bit sad.
“But I was really giving my all and suffering also because the knee is still making me struggle.
“In this kind of track where you always stay inside the bike with the knee bent, it’s not been easy.”
