That is a proper start to the weekend. According to Motorsport.com Italia, Marco Bezzecchi ended Friday in second place at Mandalika, immediately showing the kind of speed that made him a force to be reckoned with here a year ago. Back then, he made a real difference on the fast Lombok circuit aboard his Aprilia, taking a Sprint win before getting caught up in a first-lap incident on Sunday that left Marc Marquez with a right shoulder injury that continues to trouble him.
Today, the House of Noale flexed its muscles with three RS-GP machines leading the way. The riminese rider did not top the timing sheets, however, running into an inspired Raul Fernandez. The Trackhouse Racing rider shattered the track record and distanced Bezzecchi by a couple of tenths. Even so, the overall balance of this opening day remains rather positive.
I think it's not something that can happen in a single instant,
"It was a good start, I'm quite happy with how the day went," Bezzecchi told journalists at Mandalika, including those from Motorsport.com. "It's true that right now it seems like Raul is maybe one step above everyone, but it's only Friday, so we'll try to work well tonight in the box and improve a bit more."
This machine looks almost peerless on this layout, but the rider insists the RS-GP is just an absolute joy to pilot everywhere. "It's a thrill to ride my bike always, so the track doesn't change much for me," he explained. "It's true that it's a track I like, but generally I like all of them, so I'm always happy when it's time to ride a motorcycle."
His mindset for the rest of the weekend stays completely locked in. There is no desperate overhaul coming after recent outings. "It's always the same. In the end I have to try to do my best and that's what I've tried to do every time. I've done my maximum always up to here, so the approach doesn't change. It mustn't change."
That mental steel remains untouched, despite the rider admitting recently that he is missing just a little something compared to Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez in the championship standings. For Marco, climbing back to his previous speed before avoidable crashes and the Sachsenring injury is simply a matter of patience and process.
"I think it's not something that can happen in a single instant," he concluded. "I have to find step by step that kind of confidence I had before the injuries. For example, in Misano I felt good. Today too I felt good, but there was a bit more of a roller coaster. I'm pretty sure I'll manage to find that spark. I just need to keep having confidence in myself and keep working this way with my team. Day by day, we'll get back to a good level even on Friday."
