More than the world championship battle between Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, what dominated the scene in the Barcelona Sprint Race was the incredible comeback of Enea Bastianini. Starting from eighth place on the grid, the Rimini-born rider joined the fight for the top from the very first moments thanks to a lightning-fast sprint at the start.
He then became the protagonist of a fierce duel with the championship leader, which was resolved to the advantage of Enea, who took the place of honor on the last lap, giving a one-two to the Lenovo Ducati team. A surprising performance for Bastianini himself, who had not particularly shined at the beginning of the weekend.
"I didn't expect it because this is a track where I've always suffered so much - he admitted - But the pace we had seen so far was not really true, because here you just need to get a corner right to gain so much, since depending on the way you raise the bike coming out of a corner you can gain or lose so much. Honestly, I never managed to get a perfect lap until today.
We made the right changes, though, and we were able to be faster in the race. Definitely, the start I made helped a lot. I think it was the best since I've been racing."
A start that allowed him to move from eighth to first place at the first braking point.
"It was an incredible start: it has never happened to me to start so well! - commented Enea - I entered Turn 1 determined: I knew I could come in strong. After that, of course, I went a bit long, but I still managed to close the line. It's not easy, because you only find the reference of the start once. Two with the one tomorrow."
Speaking instead of the duel with Martin, the Romagna rider said he did not let himself be too influenced by the fact that he was in a fight with the championship leader.
"We know that both Pecco and Jorge are fighting for the World Championship, but the truth is that everyone wants to give 100 percent since it is the last race.
I only gave 100 percent today - he pointed out - We both did some very borderline overtaking, but always very correct.
The only overtaking in which I went off was the one he did to me at the entrance of Turn 1, but when you're gambling on something they are overtakes that have to be done."
The Beast is becoming a real specialist in overtaking Martin on the last lap.
"More of a Sprint specialist, as I'm doing very well. Instead, in the long races I'm coming up a little short when the time comes when people expect me to come.
We have to dispel this myth," underlined Enea, who is strongly intent on getting on the podium in the GP as well. "Who could bother me tomorrow? I have to look at the race well and see how it went, but I definitely had two or three riders behind me who can be competitive tomorrow as well.
So, we will not let our guard down and try to do a little bit more ahead of tomorrow to improve a little bit."
Today's overtake on the Spanish rider was in any case a very important move in view of the championship.
Given that it allowed Bastianini to move up to third place in the standings with a 5-point margin over Marc Marquez and to give his box-mate Bagnaia a big hand, taking points away from the Pramac team rider.
"Third place? What I wanted, more than anything, was to have a good race and I'm very happy with that.
Tomorrow we'll see if we can repeat the result, the important thing anyway will be to do the best we can and so far we have," said the 26-year-old, who pressed on the subject of the gift to Pecco added, "More than anything else I said, 'I make a gift to myself,' because I still gained a position. In those moments it's not like I'm thinking more than that."
With 19 points separating Bagnaia from Martin with only one race to go, can the World Championship still be considered already decided?
"At 80 percent it is decided, however Pecco still has a chance to win and as long as there is an opportunity it is right for one to try. I think they will both do well tomorrow and have a good race - said the Ducati man - Jorge has to make a mistake, but I don't think it will happen. I see it as unlikely."
