The Ducati world champion ready to defend his title: “The new Desmosedici has made incredible strides forward, meeting my needs: I feel fine, but I won’t relax: to repeat it, we’ll have to work hard, but we have everything to do it”
There MotoGP starts again towards the 2023 World Cup from the number 1 of the world champion I’m sorry Bagnaia, which shines brightly on the fairing of a Ducati first force and favorite of the championship. From Portimao, home of the first GP of 2023, the reigning champion indulges in the questions of the reporters with two of his main rivals in the World Championship at his side, Fabio Quartararo and Marc Marquez, on the strength of his status as acclaimed favourite. “I’m happy with the pre-season done, because a year ago we were in trouble and now the tests went perfectly – says Pecco -. We learned from our mistakes, the new bike is ok for my style, it has grown from the tests in Malaysia to those made here and it is clear that we are in a better position than the others, but Yamaha has certainly made some steps forward, Marquez will be in front as soon as he has finished the work on the new bike and Aprilia is very strong and I think everyone will try to take away the number 1”.
desmosedici improved
—
The new GP23 gives Bagnaia more guarantees and the Piedmontese points out where the bike has grown: “It has improved in cornering grip and in a mix of things: the engineers worked to give me what I needed and we took a step huge improvement compared to last year, because for example I can lean more when cornering, while last year’s bike moved a lot and was difficult to get into lean.It is something that gives me guarantees, but it doesn’t mean that I I’ll relax. It will be important to work hard to repeat myself and I remember how much Marquez and Rossi sweated to keep the title, but if we do everything right, we’ll be there.”
sprint immediately to the max
—
At his side in the garage is a new partner, Enea Bastianini: “We are both intelligent in understanding that if we work well in the pits, the benefits will be mutual. I have a different relationship with him than Jack Miller: we will certainly be free in the race, but in the trial we will have to collaborate to find the best possible position”. Finally, an opinion on the big news for 2023, the Sprint Race: “The way you work and the strategy of the weekend will change, time will have to be found immediately in Q2 and in the Saturday sprint you have to push like crazy right away, but I consider it a change positive”.
bastianini
—
And here’s what Enea Bastianini thinks of his debut in red: “I’m coming from a great season: doing better will be complicated, but all the Ducatis are on the ball and I want to play for it. Bagnaia has the number 1 and will be the favourite, I don’t feel any pressure greater than 2022, but it’s nice to be here with these colors. The Sprint Race? Usually I grow in the race at distance and in the winter I worked a bit on this aspect, but the strategy on Sunday is different. I think on Saturday I’ll have to attack immediately, but a lot will depend on the qualifying position which is decisive for the Sprint Race”.
March 23, 2023 – 7:01 pm
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED