With racing in short supply during MotoGP's summer break, the focus of attention in the world championship is monopolised by the buzz of possible market movements. Aside from the case of Marc Marquez, who is devoting this summer to unravelling the scenario of his hypothetical departure from Honda, Marco Bezzecchi is another rider on the grid who is attracting a lot of attention.
The 24-year-old VR46 Ducati rider has been a sensation this season, winning twice on Sunday (Argentina and Le Mans) and once on Saturday (Assen), as well as finishing on the podium in half of the eight rounds so far. When the championship gets underway again at Silverstone on the first weekend of August, Bezzecchi will be third in the standings, just one point behind Pramac's Jorge Martin in second and 36 points behind leader Francesco Bagnaia on the factory Ducati. It will probably be known by then whether he will remain with his current team next season or wear the Pramac suit, which are the two options currently available to him.
Until this year, to wear the suit of Paolo Campinoti's team would be interpreted as a step forward; an evolution at all levels, especially considering that it is the satellite team and receives the most resources from the Ducati factory. In fact, the Borgo Panigale constructor has insisted in recent times on defining its client as a second factory team, given the resources injected into it. A high percentage of the technicians working in the garage occupied by Martin and Johann Zarco, starting with their respective chief mechanics Daniele Romagnoli and Massimo Branchini, are on Ducati's payroll.
However, VR46's ambition to grow and other factors will surely cause the privileged status that Pramac held to lose weight or, at least, to become a little more balanced with Valentino Rossi's structure. This change in its status is one of the arguments used by Uccio Salucci, the team manager, to justify his desire to retain Bezzecchi.
"We want to progress, and Pramac is still a direct rival," Rossi's close friend told Autosport. "If Marco wants to stay, our priority is for him to stay."
Aside from the hair and the looks, Bezzecchi has other similarities that bring him closer to Rossi. One of the most obvious is his approach to racing and the importance he places on the environment around him.
Source: Autosport