Ducati and Francesco Bagnaia are finally ready to show off the world champion number 1 after having conquered everything there was to win in the last MotoGP World Championship.
The 2023 season will kick off this weekend on the Portuguese track of Porimato, the first of the 21 grands prix that make up a year that has never been so long, at least as regards the premier class of two wheels.
For Ducati, after more than promising tests, it will be the first real challenge to definitively understand how the Desmosedici GP 23 and its riders will be able to fight for pole position and, above all, victories.
Not only Bagnaia, because at Ducati there is also great expectation for Enea Bastianini’s race debut as an official rider. “Beast” was last season’s surprise driver, but now he will have to take on new clothes, those of the driver capable of at least being at the level of his teammate and helping the team to obtain the desired results.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“Finally we’re starting again and I’m really excited!” declared reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia on the eve of the Portimao round. “The winter tests went well and in some respects I like the Desmosedici GP 23 more than last year’s bike. There are all the prerequisites for a good start to this new season”.
“Portimão is a track that I like and where in general I can always be fast. In any case we have to stay focused because competitiveness will certainly be very high. We will have to work at our best right away: this will be the first GP in which we will race sprint, so we’ll have to get used to tackling the weekend with a different approach. I’m ready and can’t wait to get on track on Friday to officially kick off the 2023 championship!”
These are instead the words of Enea Bastinini, ready to wear red in the race for the first time in his career: “I’m happy to finally get back on track for the first GP of the season. It will be my first race as an official driver and therefore it will be even more exciting.”
“The last tests here in Portimão went well and we already have a good basis for setting up our weekend’s work. Many riders have shown that they are competitive, so we too will have to be among the protagonists right away, but I am confident that we have all the means to be able to do it. I can’t wait to get to work with my team”.
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Enea Bastianini, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
