Finally revealed the number it will wear on the fairing: “The 63 will always remain “mine”, but it’s right to change: I decided while we were taking pictures of the bike and I tried to put one on the fairing. With Enea the relationship is good: we must be intelligent. Ducati and I won’t make the mistakes of 2022″
January 23, 2023
Madonna di Campiglio – The decision for the number to put on the fairing was long and complicated and only last week, in the photographic studio to prepare the photos for today’s presentation, Francesco Bagnaia opted for one of world champion.
“It’s been a long time since we haven’t seen the number one in MotoGP: to tell the truth, I’ve always admired him. the number one represents who you areI think it’s right to pay homage to what was done in 2022. The 63 will always remain my number and will still be on the bike (there is a small 63 inside the 1, NDA), but I hope to be able to keep 1 As long as possible”.
The confirmation that the decision really came at the last minute can be seen in the cap he is wearing: number 63 is still there… Once the number has been revealed, here are Pecco’s words at the press conference.
“I became world champion, but my personal life has not changed. What has changed is the appreciation towards me, I feel the fans closer to me. And I like this. Sometimes popularity can be a bit heavy, but it’s nice to get people’s love. But you don’t have to focus on this, you have to keep pushing, do your best to try and repeat yourself”
What can you say about Bastianini?
“We’ve known each other for a long time, ever since we raced minibikes. As he once said: “he IS a bastard…”. Of course I’m kidding. He is a smiley, very competitive: together we will have to give our best to reach the goal: there is great respect between us, we must be intelligent to get the results we want. It is clear that we had a different relationship with Miller, now we have to start from scratch, but the relationship is good. Last season’s challenges were seen as a great rivalry more from the outside than within us. It’s clear that if he beats me I’m frustrated, but I’m frustrated when any rider gets ahead of me, not just Enea. He is very competitive, he has always tried to win. We have to think about working together”
Alex Marquez said that Marc will be the rider to beat: do you agree?
“If the Honda is competitive, Marc will certainly be in front: in this MotoGP everything must be in order to be competitive. But there are many riders who can aim for the title: Enea, Quartararo, Aprilia. I’m thinking of Oliveira, but also of Binder with the KTM. But our goal remains to defend the title and always do better. I expect Honda to be faster, but the Japanese manufacturers’ approach is very different, Ducati’s development is faster: you try more things, but it’s also easier to make a mistake. But I like this approach.”
How do you defend the title?
“We must not make the mistake of thinking about this, we must take the same approach as in 2022 and in previous years. I think I’ve learned my lesson, certain mistakes mustn’t be repeated: the GP23 is very similar to last year’s bike, I think we can start well. I believe that already in the second half of 2022 I showed that I learned from the mistakes I made, apart from the mistake at Motegi, I am convinced that I have made some progress in this respect. The lesson of 2022 is that you have to stay calm, don’t get nervous, don’t think that everything can be conquered in one corner or one lap.”
How difficult was the beginning of 2022?
“It was actually tough. The GP21, as Enea can confirm, was an incredible bike, but when we started testing with the GP22 we got lost, it was impossible to replicate the performance of the previous year. That’s why in Qatar I asked to take a step back and everything went better from then on. I’m convinced that this year there won’t be this problem, because as I said, the GP23 is an evolution, not a revolution”
Does anything change with the prohibition of the front dynamic lowering?
“For me nothing. In 2022 I only used it in tests and in FP1, FP2 and FP3 of the first GP in Qatar. Then I never mounted it again”
Does the rider still make the difference in MotoGP?
“Certainly the bike is important, there are many controls to use that affect performance, but the rider still makes a big difference in many aspects, such as the attack on time, braking, tire management. We have seen over the years how riders like Rossi, Stoner, Marquez and others have made the difference”
Has something changed in your preparation for the SprintRace?
“No, it’s more or less always the one with the adjustments we make every year to do better and better. Surely the SprintRace will make a big difference, you’ll need to be smart to adapt. At the moment, we can’t say more about this novelty”
Do you think consistency will be more important than speed?
“Consistency during the season is always important, but I think speed remains the key aspect: to win, you have to be in front”
