Marco Bezzecchi opens up about his difficulties with the GP23 after a tough Qatar MotoGP race.
Marco Bezzecchi’s challenging start to the 2024 season has raised concerns. Despite his unexpected surge as a breakout star last year with a remarkable MotoGP title challenge and a third-place finish, his transition from the GP22 to this year’s GP23 has proven to be quite difficult.
In the recent Qatar MotoGP, Bezzecchi struggled, finishing 11th in the sprint race and 14th in the grand prix.
“It was a tough Sunday for me,” Bezzecchi stated, as quoted by Motorsport. “We had made progress during the warm-up, and I was pleased because I finally felt comfortable on the bike. However, as soon as the race began, I immediately experienced significant front lock, and I still haven’t been able to pinpoint the reason.
“Subsequently, I started to lose confidence in braking and corner entry, which led me to open the throttle earlier since I felt a lack of speed.”
This string of performances has put Bezzecchi in a challenging position as he navigates the intricacies of the GP23 in the current MotoGP season.
“This led to my rear tyre wearing out very early in the race.
“I tried to manage the situation, but by the time there were 11 laps remaining, I had already switched to map C, which offers less power, and there was still half the race left.
“It was a highly challenging weekend for me.
“We discovered some promising aspects, but we also realized how difficult it is to turn around a weekend that starts off on the wrong foot.
“We hope to establish a stronger foundation from Friday onwards in Portimao to improve our performance on both Saturday and Sunday.”
Last season, Bezzecchi, part of VR46, clinched victory in three grand prix races aboard the ’22 Ducati.
This year, he made the decision to remain with VR46 on an older bike rather than move up to Pramac, where he would have had access to the upgraded 2024 Desmosedici.
Surveying the grid, Bezzecchi noted that Marc Marquez, among others, has been making significantly better progress than him on the same machinery.
“Of course, I observe the fastest riders, but the Marquez brothers and my teammate have the same bike as me and have managed to achieve faster lap times and race pace,” Bezzecchi acknowledged.
“So, I’m focusing on them and analyzing the data to understand what I’m lacking and why, at the moment, I’m unable to replicate their performance.”
Bezzecchi delved into the challenges he’s facing: “I lack confidence in the front tyre during braking, the bike struggles to turn, resulting in a loss of speed on the straights, and I find myself opening the throttle too late.
“Alternatively, if I enter the corner too cautiously due to the bike’s reluctance to turn, I end up opening the throttle too early, leading to tyre degradation.
“It’s a tough battle, but I’m putting in a lot of effort, and I’m confident I’ll overcome this hurdle.
“Although it’s frustrating, it’s also motivating.”
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