Francesco Bagnaia describes “aggressive” Ducati acceleration, Enea Bastianini admits “this is the first time I have worked a lot in the box” at MotoGP Sepang test
Defending MotoGP champion Bagnaia was fifth-fastest on the first day of the preseason Sepang test, while new factory Ducati teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Enea Bastianini was third-quickest.
Last year, Bagnaia and his bike started 💦slowly before picking up performance in the latter stages of the season en route to claiming the title - this year, he believes Ducati are already giving themselves a better chance of dominating from the first round in Portimao.
“I was focused on the new engine and the fairing today, because these are the biggest things to try,” Bagnaia said. “I am🎶 happy with the work done.
“This morning I did laps with the new bike. This afternoon I was focused, with used tyres, to using old-new, old-new, old-new. To understand the level of the ne💮w one. Because the old one is a bike from 2020.
“The new one📖 has great things but the acceleration is a bit aggressive. The old one was so, so smooth. So we are focused on unders🀅tanding what I have to do. My approach today was just to understand, to change myself on the bike.
“Theꦿ fairing was the same thing. It is totally different, a dif꧂ferent effect on the ground, so you have to do a different thing when riding.
“It was𒅌 better in the braking, this is already a good thing for Ducati. In the long corners, I have to understandꦕ. It is good to test here because there are a lot of long corners. There is great potential.
“There are more positives than negatives. We have two m♑ore days to understand everything. Co𓆏mpared to last year we can be happy with the first day.
“I think, in this moment, we have started so much better. Looking at the lap times? They are a lot bettꦏer.
“But we have to work a lot. I am happy but I don🐓’t want💞 to be too positive.”
Bagnaia revelled in displaying his new plate: “I was looking forwards to riding with #1, to seeing myself in pictures with it! It has been a long time since I had #1. I am looking forwards to seeing videos and𒀰 images of myself with the #1! ꦗIt is wonderful, I love it.”
Bastianini is the newcomer in the factory Ducati team having earned a promotion from Gresini Racing. Last year, only Bag🎃naia won more races than Bastianini. In 2023 Bastianini will have his own championship ambitions but has already admitted the increased responsibility of a factory seat.
“This is the first time I have worked a lot in the box,” he said. “And the first impact💯 was good.
“Today, I had the same set-up as in Valencia. The same spec. Bu𝄹t we have to try the new b🐻ike. Tomorrow I will try more. Today I rode the 2022 bikes more.
“It 🐽is most important to be prepared for the race.
“The potentiaꦰl of꧑ the new bike is good so I am confident.
“It is better. For me, it has a l﷽ittle bit more power. The bike is very similar to the old one, but with more potential.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a de🔯꧂cade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
