MotoGP Americas, Austin: ‘One regret’ but Bezzecchi keeps world championship lead

After three rounds and six races, it is VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi who still leads the MotoGP World Championship standings on its return to Europe.
Marco Bezzecchi, MotoGP race, Grand Prix of the Americas, 16 April
Marco Bezzecchi, MotoGP race, Grand Prix of the Americas, 16 April

The 2022 Rookie of the Year moved to the head of the points table with a debut victory i𝄹n Argentina.

After a sixth place for Bezzecchi in the COTA Spꦅrint, Saturday winner Francesco Bagnaia needed only a single point to retake the title advantage on Sunday.

But that scenario disappeared in a cloud of gravel dust when the reigning champion fell from the race lead, while Bezzecchi shadowed his team-mate Luca Mar𒀰ini to reach fourth in the middle stages.

But wh𒊎ile Marini went on to claim second place and a debut MotoGP podium, Bezzecchi had taken too much꧒ out of his front tyre and slipped back to sixth. It was his ‘only regret’.

“I’m happ🐓y of course to lead the championship, it's a big satisfaction, but it's still nothing. It's very early,” said Bezzecchi, who will take an eleven-point advantage over Bagnaia into round four at Jerez ne💯xt weekend.

“So in the end, I'm happier for the weekend overall, because Friday I had a lot of problems. Saturday I managed to make a de✃cent race, and today it w🦹as so easy to make a mistake, so I'm happy also about my pace.

“Unfortunately I think I pushed a little bit t🌱oo early, I made a 2'03.5 nine or ten laps to the end, and in that lap I really finished the front tyre. So then the last 7 laps were really, really difficult for me. I lost places from Maverick and Miguel. This is perhaps the only regret. But apart from this I'm really happy.”

As well as Bezzecchi being on top of the riders’ standings, VR46 is now aജlso leading t𒊎he teams’ world championship.

“Congratulations to Luca, he deserves it, and to the whole team. This group is doing soꦕmething amazing,” Bezzecchi said.

Bezzecchi and Suꦫnday’s top Ducati rider Marini are both using last year’s 2022 spec Desmosedicis.

Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has sꦐeen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.

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