MotoGP, interview with Enea Bastianini: “I want to believe in the World Championship”

From our correspondent Paolo Ianieri

08 March

– San Marino

The apartment in which he has lived since December with Alice Ricci, his girlfriend, reflects his personality: order, simplicity and good taste. “We like design, we wanted a house with lots of light and few things, but just right”, smiles Enea Bastianini while he is busy keeping under control Agrid, the French bulldog with the name borrowed from Harry Potter, who paws around him. The hero of the night from Losail landed in Bologna a few hours ago and is now enjoying the peace of his home in San Marino.

Aeneas, how was the return?

“Traumatic, getting up at 5 in the morning … I wanted to celebrate, but Qatar is not the right place, I was with the guys for a while, we wanted a beer, there wasn’t even that. But waking up as a winner was beautiful, because then and there you can’t achieve it. Even after the Moto2 World Championship with Italtrans, the evening was like going to eat pizza “.

“Above all, I know I can also win in MotoGP”.

Many bet on her.

“In the tests we were fast, and already on Friday, even if not yet in place, we were with the best.” If we fix the bike … “, I said to myself. What surprised me most was the speed with which we found the solutions “.

Three races, three Italian victories.

“I’m very happy for Mig and Cele. Migno makes me die laughing. I think he was very unlucky in his career, often in the wrong place. Vietti has a great talent and I see myself a little in him, a little in the clouds. But he is framing himself. ”

In congratulating her, Bagnaia added that being able to use an almost perfect bike like the GP21 helps.

“Pecco certainly had more work to do. I think his problem is that he still doesn’t have confidence in the bike.”

How many joints linked to the Gresini team: Gibernau’s victory at Welkom 2003 after Kato’s death, Pirro’s in Valencia after the Sic tragedy, now his victory …

“I hadn’t thought of it, but now I get goosebumps. Fausto has created an incredible structure, a solid environment where you can work quietly. I feel at home, but when it comes to being serious, you don’t pull yourself away. back. It is nice that Nadia (Padovani, Gresini’s widow; ed) has brought everything forward “.

In some ways Gresini was a second father.

“Yes, we clashed many times, but that’s what taught me most of all the value of things, how to behave. We had argued in Moto3 because I wanted to go away, but I was wrong. Then I realized that Fausto had done it. and said certain things only for my own good “.

So not having a GP22 but the Ducati 2021 has become a bit secondary?

“When I found out who was going to work with me, I felt serene. I was looking at Pecco and although there was a bit of anger because I would not have the factory bike, I decided not to give a damn. I knew that with the GP21 I could stay in front.”

Just look at her face to see that she is peaceful.

“Yes, I have everything. The girl, a dog, I have already built my house … But the dream is always that of being in front of the bike, I wake up in the morning thinking about it”.

A year ago, before the World Cup, speaking of Alice he said he was thinking of marrying her.

“Yes, she gives me peace of mind. Between Covid and wars it is not a good time, but that you are the right person, I have known for a long time”.

Alice intervenes. “We met on June 4, 2019”.

Again Aeneas. “On a motorcycle track. She had gone to see some friends and I too. We found ourselves close, at a certain point she turns around and says to me:” But do you know how to ride a motorcycle too? “. And I:” Second me yes, I’m fine, try to tell me yourself. “When some of her friends revealed who I was, she came back to ask me for a video for her dad. She posted it, she tagged me and I found it. I liked it right away. He should have come to Mugello the week before, but we met on a track anyway. It was destiny. ”

“Everything. He sticks me, but it raises a lot of problems.” Alice again. “One is earth and the other clouds. I am on Planet Earth”. “And I’m the one who fantasizes, so he always disassembles me, making me understand what reality is. He helped me, I became more concrete”.

In fact he said: I have to improve the qualification. She did it and she won.

“What I was missing was really believing in what I could do. I have always been very hesitant, I had a good race, then the next one less and I would question myself. Now no, if something is wrong I will stay calm and work”.

Another of his fortunes is having Carlo Pernat as a manager.

He laughs. “He is number one. He understands us and is always in the right place at the right time. He makes me laugh, he is the manager I needed”.

The best compliment?

“They are the ones who make you your rivals, only one who rides with you knows the value of a driver”.

Marc Marquez said he will fight for the title.

“He’s out of balance but I want to believe him.”

“Too soon, we will see the cards after 5-6 races. But the bike has a very high potential. I try.”

Who impressed you?

“Pol Espargarò a lot. I didn’t expect it to be constant. Binder also had an incredible race. Aprilia too.”

How long did Pol Espargarò spend? What did he think?

“To my dog, who since he has become chubby I also call Pumba, one of the characters of the Lion King and which is the name of one of my two bikes. The other is Timon. I felt like laughing and repeated Pumba Pumba”.

What did Dall’Igna say to you?

“That I’m forcing him to give me new parts. But the bike is fantastic. Do you remember Morbidelli? When you are confident, you are fast everywhere”.

This year the promotion to the official team is played.

“I am in Ducati very well. The goal is to become a factory rider, if another manufacturer arrives I won’t close the door in my face, but for now I see the future here. I would like to deserve the works team, but if Martin or Miller are in front, I adapt. I am for the right “.