Marco Bezzecchi, the Mooney VR46 rider, had a notable day during the test session in Valencia, achieving the best time among the Ducati riders with the bike used by World Champion Pecco Bagnaia. He also addressed his recent interaction with Marc Márquez following the Valencia Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi shared his initial impressions of the GP23, noting the differences and the time it took him to adapt. He mentioned that his riding style didn’t perfectly match the bike initially, but after some adjustments, he was able to end the test day positively. He commented on the bike’s motor, describing it as very fast but with a different sensation when accelerating.
Regarding his former teammate, Luca Marini, now testing with Honda’s official team, Bezzecchi found it strange not having him around, having gotten used to his presence. He also noted the interesting changes in the paddock, like seeing Morbidelli on a Ducati.
Bezzecchi expressed his thoughts on Fabio DiGiannantonio, Marini’s replacement, acknowledging their past differences but also the mutual respect that has developed over time. He believes DiGiannantonio deserved to continue in MotoGP after a strong end to the season.
On Marc Márquez’s quick adaptation to the Ducati, Bezzecchi wasn’t surprised, citing the bike’s competitiveness and Márquez’s skills as a champion. He followed Márquez a couple of times on the track, not intentionally, and noticed Márquez was already riding well.
Bezzecchi also clarified the incident with Márquez after the race on Sunday. He sought out Márquez for a private conversation and was upset by false reports about what he supposedly said. He emphasized that he had the courage to directly express his thoughts to Márquez, but was displeased with the false and unpleasant things reported that he never said.
I don’t want to go into details, it was a private conversation. But I read some articles in which very ugly things were said that I never said. Of course I told him what he thought, he knows my character well, and he did the same with me. But then I read things that I would have said that were absolutely false, things that he wouldn’t say even to my worst enemy. I think I had the balls to go straight to tell him what he thought, I don’t give a damn what people think, but reading certain unpleasant things that I never said was not pleasant.”