Bezzecchi: “Difficult to manage pressure”, everyone said “I will win”

Twice a MotoGP winner thanks to success during the Argentine and French Grand Prix’, Bezzecchi added a first sprint victory to his name to keep hold of his Assen clean sweep.

Dominant during Friday practice, Bezzecchi was again fastest in Practice 3 before setting a new lap record in qualifying.

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Narrowly quicker than Fancesco Bagnaia’s pole time from last season, Bezzecchi than got the better of the factory Ducati rider again in the sprint.

"It’s fantastic to finally get a victory in the sprint," Bezzecchi said to MotoGP.com. "Apart from Argentina and Mugello I’ve not really been perfect in the sprint and I was always losing something. 

"Today I started well but I made a mistake on the first corner to try and resist Pecco. 

"But fortunately I could manage to recover and go back in front. I’m very happy about this and I will try my best in the Grand Prix."

Unlike his previous two wins, Bezzecchi was the clear favourite for the first time in his premier class career.

This added a different type of pressure to the Italian prior to the race, especially when hearing people say it was a guaranteed victory.

"It was difficult because everyone was saying ‘you will win for sure’, but it is never sure," said the Mooney VR46 Ducati rider. 

"Also, fighting with these guys - two world champions on the podium - also Brad [Binder], Jack [Miller] and Martin, you know, all the guys are fast. 

"So it was difficult to manage the pressure. It will be the same on Sunday because the expectations are high. 

"I will try my best as I did in the Sprint. The result that I get will be the best that I can do."