Why Bezzecchi failed to convert pole into win at MotoGP Valencia GP sprint

Aprilia MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi has revealed that a problem with the ride-height device was the decisive factor in his dramatic fall from pole position in the Valencia Grand Prix sprint.

Bezzecchi was the favourite for victory on Saturday after topping the qualifying session with a new lap record, but his hopes were dashed immediately on the opening tour as he dropped from first to sixth.

The Italian immediately lost the lead to eventual winner Alex Marquez on the run down to Turn 1, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta snatching second from him under braking for Turn 2.

He then got swallowed up by Raul Fernandez, Fabio di Giannantonio and Fabio Quartararo into the right-hander of Turn 4, losing three places in just one corner. By the end of lap two, he was already two seconds off the lead, as Marquez and Acosta began to break away at the front.

Although Bezzecchi showed strong pace for the remainder of the race, he could only recover one position - on Quartararo’s Yamaha - to cross the line a disappointing fifth.

While his decision to run the soft front tyre, rather than the hard favoured by most of the field, was initially blamed for his poor getaway, Bezzecchi clarified that the real issue was a holeshot device that failed to disengage until Turn 2.

“Yeah, I wasn't able to unlock the front device, unfortunately,” he explained. “I unlocked it in Turn 2. After, unfortunately, between Turn 1 and Turn 2, and also in the exit of [Turn] 2, I couldn't really accelerate how I wanted, so this is why I lost many places.”

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Steve Wobser / Getty Images

Only six riders gambled on Michelin’s soft front tyre, with three of those coming from Aprilia’s camp. While Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez felt choosing the white-walled compound was a mistake and turned his race into a “survival” contest, Bezzecchi stood by his tyre choice.

“For me, no [it wasn’t a mistake],” he said. “Of course, having this problem in the start [made things] a bit worse, because you cannot expect to stay behind more and more bikes and have the soft front that works perfectly.Without this problem, it could be better. I will never know. But if I have to start again, I will again put the soft front.”

Bezzecchi has been on a strong run of form in the final part of the campaign and is coming off the back of his victory at the Portuguese GP last weekend. The 27-year-old, who has now secured third in the riders’ standings, said he is confident about his prospects for Sunday’s grand prix despite the setback in the sprint.

“With the pole position, finishing the sprint like this doesn't really make me feel super happy,” he said. “But the pace is there and the confidence is there. So let's try to understand what happened now in the start, let's try to analyse everything and be more ready for tomorrow.”