Ducati ends MotoGP Sepang scorching temperatures take a look at on high • Complete Motorbike

Constructive emotions for Bagnaia and Bastianini within the first official 2023 MotoGP take a look at at Sepang (Malaysia)

• Luca Marini (VR46 Racing Workforce) ends the Sepang take a look at on high
Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini concluded the primary pre-season take a look at of 2023 on the Sepang Worldwide Circuit this afternoon. In the course of the three days on the Malaysian monitor, the 2 Ducati Lenovo Workforce riders may proceed the event work on the 2023 model of the Desmosedici GP, which had already begun with official take a look at rider Michele Pirro within the shakedown earlier within the week.

Regardless of the scorching temperatures and less-than-optimal monitor situations, each Bagnaia and Bastianini coated quite a few kilometres. On Friday, the one day wherein the monitor was persistently dry, the 2 Ducati manufacturing unit riders first accomplished just a few runs with the bikes in 2022 configuration earlier than transferring on to check the brand new gadgets developed by the Ducati Corse engineers over the winter, which, along with an evolution of final yr’s engine, additionally included two new aerodynamic packages.

After preliminary constructive suggestions within the dry, Bagnaia and Bastianini confirmed their sensations within the moist on Saturday afternoon. On the similar time, the rain that fell through the evening between Friday and Saturday, after which between Saturday and Sunday, didn’t enable them to take full benefit of the morning of the final two days. On the finish of Sunday’s last session, Pecco closed the take a look at in second place (1:57.969) with a complete of 136 laps accomplished, whereas Enea, 4th in 1:58.149, accomplished 128 laps over the three days.

Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Workforce) – 1:57.969 (2nd)
“I’m blissful and happy with the work accomplished on this take a look at. After the lunch break at this time, we made a modification to the brand new bike that allowed us to deliver it as much as the identical degree as final yr’s. That was my aim, so we are able to solely be glad. In fact, we’ve got to proceed working to enhance different facets of it and make it extra rideable, however we nonetheless have two extra days of testing in Portugal to do this. In Portimão, it can even be essential to attempt the 2 aerodynamic options examined right here once more. I have already got a desire, however I additionally need to attempt them on a distinct monitor. In Portimão, we will certainly deal with growing the GP23, and we will even need to attempt to simulate a Dash Race, so the final two days of testing can be essential.”

Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Workforce) – 1:58.149 (4th)
“It was a really demanding three days of labor, but in addition very productive, and I’m glad with the work accomplished over these three days. At first, I struggled to adapt to the brand new bike, however this afternoon, we understood what wanted enchancment, permitting me to be quick on the time assault and the race tempo. Pecco had the identical feeling as me, making it simpler to match information and converse with the engineers. We nonetheless haven’t determined which fairing we’ll use this yr from those we tried right here at Sepang, and we’ll attempt them once more at Portimão. It will likely be the final take a look at earlier than the opening race of the season so it will likely be essential. We’ve but to succeed in 100 per cent of our potential, however we’re very near it”.

The Ducati Lenovo Workforce riders can have two extra days of testing from Eleventh- twelfth March on the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão earlier than tackling the primary GP of the season on the similar monitor from Twenty fourth-Twenty sixth March.