Despite securing a commanding Sunday victory at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, Marco Bezzecchi candidly evaluated his championship campaign, acknowledging that Saturday Sprint sessions have proven to be the primary obstacle hindering his title pursuit against Marc Marquez.
The Aprilia Racing rider established himself as an early-season favorite after claiming victory in four of the opening seven feature races. However, a mid-season slump between the Hungarian and German rounds—marred by race incidents and lingering physical setbacks—severely dented his points tally and created a substantial deficit in the standings.
While Bezzecchi boasts an impressive tally of six Grand Prix victories this year following triumphs in Mandalika and Lusail, he has yet to step onto the top spot of the podium during a Saturday Sprint. This contrast is particularly stark when compared to Marquez, who has amassed 10 Sprint wins alongside seven Sunday victories.
Currently trailing the championship leader by 74 points heading into the final rounds at Portimao and Valencia, Bezzecchi mathematically retains a title chance, though it requires a flawless run of victories coupled with severe misfortune for his Spanish rival.
"Ultimately, my goal at the start of the season was to get off to the best possible start, given that last year we struggled throughout the first half," Bezzecchi told Sky Italy. "So I wanted to start strong, and I started very strong. It is true that in the middle of the season there were a few races where things didn't go as we had hoped, and injury also played a part. But then immediately after, we got back on track for several podiums, won again in Indonesia, and did it again today. So it has been a fantastic season so far."
Refusing to blame the schedule format, the Italian rider emphasized self-improvement over rule changes. "The sprints were a bit of my weak link, let's say. But it's all about experience; everything helps you learn and improve. I would rather improve in the sprints than eliminate them, because in the end I see that others are doing well, and so I have to improve too. We did a good job today, so we will rest now before returning to action at Portimao," Bezzecchi concluded.
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