Ducati also demonstrated in the Sepang tests that it is the bike to beat in 2023, and it did so by placing seven bikes in the top nine on day three alone. A signal of dominance that lets us glimpse another MotoGP season in which the Borgo Panigale bikes will be the masters with all its riders.
In particular, it was Luca Marini who closed the three days of testing in Malaysia on a high note, setting the best time and climbing to the top of the timesheets. The rider Mooney VR46 set a 1’57”889, going under the wall of number 58 and giving a strong signal also with the GP22. The rider from Tavullia had world champion Pecco Bagnaia behind him with the GP23 and 57 of them were the only ones to lap, demonstrating how close to perfection the Desmosedici that the others are called to beat is.
The rain somewhat ruined the end-of-day plans for all the riders, but Marini’s satisfaction is that he was able to work well over the three days, managing to complete the work plan: “I think it was a fantastic test, the third day was perfect, we tried everything we had in the program”.
Luca Marini, VR46 Racing Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“The race simulation went very well and I’m very satisfied with the feeling over the 10 laps. Obviously the Sprint Race will be difficult, because with everyone else you won’t be able to do your precise lines and the other things you do in the simulation, it will be more of a struggle. But the feeling has improved, we worked very well and the lap time at the end of the day was also very good ”, he explains when talking about the big news of 2023, the fast race that everyone is preparing for.
Marini couldn’t help but be smiling at the end of the tests, in which he showed continuity and the solidity that was already seen in the finale of last season. In 2023 Luca picked up where he left off in 2022 and the satisfaction is enormous: “I’ve tried many specifications, it’s important to gain experience. Now I know the Ducati DNA very well and I like it a lot. I feel that now I can use its full potential, this year we are working in the right direction, we are learning from last year’s mistakes and I think we are ready to fight for the podium in all races. But the other manufacturers are also strong this year and the other Ducati riders are at the top of the contenders list”.
The GP22 is the world champion bike, reaching the level we see now only with the passing of the races. If it didn’t show a great step in last year’s winter tests, the GP23 on the contrary already appeared close to perfection. For this reason Marini, who will have last year’s bike, will focus on the strategy to be able to fight with his team mates who will instead have the new specification available: “We will have to be intelligent in the first races, try to use our experience in every weekend of the first part of the season. But talking to Pecco, he told me that they have taken a big step forward. They are already there, close to the perfection of last year’s bike. But I think my bike also has excellent potential.”
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