When over 225mph isn’t enough
Super-fast Ducati can’t beat Yamaha despite its huge speed advantage
‘Viñales was able to gain a lot of metres on corner exit’
Ajaw-dropping new top speed record and top Ducati billing showed why Johann Zarco can’t be discounted as a serious title threat in 2021. Just 24 hours after the Frenchman flew to a mind-blowing 225.18mph on the Bologna factory’s rocket ship GP21, Zarco overshadowed factory Ducati duo Pecco Bagnaia and Jack Miller in the floodlit night race. Promoted to Pramac Ducati on the latest spec Desmosedici for 2021, Zarco admitted prerace that it was his “time to get victories and podiums”. It didn’t take the 30-yearold long to make good on his pledge after he finished just over a second behind Yamaha’s Maverick Viñales.
‘The bike is unstoppable’
Zarco was the only rider to occupy a podium place on every lap. He said: “The team and bike have the potential, so it is up to me. When you feel good on this bike is it unstoppable and I need to make sure I have this feeling in every race.”
But Ducati’s dominance on the speed charts still couldn’t propel them to a third successive win in Qatar and Zarco explained how Yamaha’s famed corner speed and agility prevailed over brute horsepower.
“We have a huge advantage in the straight but Viñales was able to gain a lot of metres on corner exit. We have to pick up the power a little bit late,” said Zarco. He added: “He had a strong advantage in second and third gear and he was gaining on us.”
Joking about what he needed to exact instant revenge on Viñales in the Doha rematch this weekend, the double Moto2 World Champion added: “I don’t need more power!” Bagnaia, meanwhile, may have taken a maiden pole position and podium on his factory Ducati debut, but there was sense of what might have been for the Italian. Factory Yamaha team boss Massimo Meregalli’s pre-race prediction that Ducati may encounter rear tyre durability issues was bang on the money. Bagnaia led for the opening 14 laps before his victory charge was derailed by fading rear grip in the coolest and windiest conditions of the weekend. He said: “I made the wrong strategy by getting in front and pushing and from the middle of the race I started struggling with rear grip. I thought I could keep the pace but I suffered a lot and I wasn’t expecting that. But the conditions were a lot different and it changed the grip.” Bagnaia played down suggestions of a different outcome had he been more conservative to avoid burning up his soft Michelin rear tyre. The 24-year-old added: “There would have been the risk of being in the middle of the group and then having to push to overtake. My pace was the correct one but for yesterday’s (Saturday) conditions.”