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Post by truenorth on Feb 27, 2024 11:40:05 GMT -8
Lusail International Circuit The fabulous Lusail International Circuit lies on the outskirts of Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Built in little over a year, the track cost $58 million USD and required round-the-clock dedication from almost 1,000 workers in order to get it ready for the inaugural event - the Marlboro Grand Prix of Qatar on the 2nd October 2004. The track itself is a flowing layout of 5.4 kilometres, surrounded by artificial grass designed to prevent sand from the neighbouring desert from blowing onto the circuit. The main straight is over a kilometre in length and there is a good mix of medium and high-speed corners, including a couple of quick left-handers which has proved particularly popular with the riders. In 2008 Qatar celebrated the first night time Grand Prix in history, following the construction of permanent outdoor lighting. The switch to night time racing was a success and has continued to be so, with the Qatar event now established as one of the most spectacular on the MotoGP calendar.
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Post by truenorth on Feb 27, 2024 11:44:45 GMT -8
Is Di Giannantonio MotoGP™'s 2024 dark horse? The new VR46 recruit has enjoyed a fruitful pre-season as he aims to repeat his end-of-2023 success from the get-go this season It wasn’t until the 27th of November - a day before the Valencia Test - that we officially knew where Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) would be racing in 2024. After Marc Marquez's bombshell switch to Gresini Racing MotoGP™, Di Giannantonio's future on the premier class grid was uncertain. There wasn't much room at any of MotoGP™'s inns and having scored a best Sunday result of P8 up to the Indonesian GP - the weekend Marquez's news became official - it was fair to say the Italian hadn't quite done enough to absolutely secure himself a seat on the 2024 grid. Harsh? Yes, very. However, just when he needed it most, Di Giannantonio finished P6 in the Tissot Sprint and ended as the top Independent Team rider in P4 on Sunday in Indonesia to spark his season into life. What unfolded for the #49 in the final six races of 2023 was an unbelievable turnaround in form. A debut podium was scored in that Phillip Island thriller before the 25-year-old dazzled under the Lusail lights to beat title-hunting Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and claim a debut premier class victory. - A QUESTION OF STYLE AS VR46 DUO ADAPT TO THE GP23 If it wasn't for a tyre pressure penalty in Valencia, Di Giannantonio would have stood on the podium four times - including his P2 Tissot Sprint podium in Qatar - in the closing six weekends of the season. The fact Di Giannantonio was the highest-scoring rider behind Bagnaia and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) from Japan to Valencia tells us all how strong he was at the end of the year. It was no one-off. Di Giannantonio proved he belongs in MotoGP™ and thankfully, Valentino Rossi came calling following Luca Marini's departure to Repsol Honda. Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Speed and freedom, best combo @fabiodiggia49 And now, after switching Gresini blue for VR46 fluorescent yellow, many believe Di Giannantonio starts 2024 as a dark horse. Why wouldn't you? Getting to grips with new surroundings as well as a new bike can take more time than anticipated in pre-season, but that's not been the case here. Di Giannantonio has gelled with Ducati's GP23, which has been obvious from both his demeanour and when glancing at the timesheets. "Last year when I was on the podium I was chatting with Pecco about the bike and he was saying on the 2023 bike, I have to change my riding style a bit because my riding style would be a bit worse for this bike," said Di Giannantonio at the Qatar Test. "But the truth is that it just improved my good points. So I’m just riding as I was last year and the bike allows me to push harder and faster, and I have more feeling from the bike so honestly, everything is better from my side." Everything being better stands Di Giannantonio in good stead heading into the new campaign, which will be his third in the premier class. A fascinating season awaits across the board, but in Di Giannantonio's yellow corner it'll be podiums and wins on the agenda from the off. We weren't saying that this time last year. But everyone is saying it now because after two years in MotoGP™, Di Giannantonio has more wins (one) than Pecco did at the same stage. Easy to forget that. With that being said, there is no doubt Di Giannantonio acts as a dark horse as 2024 dawns. However, it might not be long before that term can't be used to describe Di Giannantonio. He'll hope that's the case after we've raced through a few weekends.
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Post by truenorth on Feb 27, 2024 11:47:14 GMT -8
Prima Pramac primed for unveiling alongside Formula 1 The 2023 Teams’ Champions will pull the covers off their GP24s in a very special event in Bahrain Pre-season has drawn to a close, marking the countdown to the inaugural round of the 2024 MotoGP™ World Championship in Qatar. There has been plenty of excitement surrounding the campaign so far after two Official Tests and 10 team launches, but before we return to Lusail International Circuit for the season opener, we have to make a quick pit stop in Bahrain for a very special Prima Pramac Racing Team Presentation! The Formula 1 season begins in earnest in Bahrain at the weekend, and for a unique team launch, Pramac have opted to pull the covers off their 2024 Ducatis in the same paddock as their F1 counterparts. There is certainly plenty of intrigue surrounding the 2023 MotoGP™ Teams’ Champions, as last year’s runner up in the title race Jorge Martin begins his quest to go one better this season, while three-time race winner Franco Morbidelli will hope to reignite his career aboard the GP24. Festivities kick-off at Bahrain International Circuit at 19:00 local time (UTC +3), but you can tune into motogp.com and MotoGP™’s social media channels from 18:30 for all the buildup to the event with Jack Appleyard, while our resident reporter will be joined special guests Suzi Perry, TNT Sports, and none other than 15-time World Champion and MotoGP™ Legend Giacomo Agostini! In addition to our special guests and reaction to the new livery, the show will also feature interviews from both Martin and Morbidelli, Team Manager Gino Borsoi, Pramac CEO Paolo Campinoti and Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1 Group. In an exclusive photo shoot, Borsoi will plant a big fat, wet kiss on the ass of Domenicali. SBKs looking better and better.
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Post by truenorth on Feb 27, 2024 12:00:31 GMT -8
ANALYSIS: Who's in the best shape ahead of the Qatar GP? We delve into the longer run lap time sheets to see what the final day of pre-season testing in Lusail showed us as we gear up for Round 1 of 2024 2024 MotoGP™ pre-season testing is in the history books and of all the noteworthy topics to dive into - there are many - from the five Official Test days on track is the long run pace analysis from the Qatar Test. Not all riders did long runs, but most strung at least seven laps together to give us a little indication as to how they're shaping up for Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Tissot Sprints and races. So, let's have a look at a selection of riders to see what pace they were boasting at the Lusail International Circuit. The two fastest: Bagnaia and Espargaro BEST AVERAGE NO. OF LAPS Bagnaia 1:51.850 1:52.430 7 Espargaro 1:51.931 1:52.106 7 The sample size may not be that big for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), but their short stints were very impressive. Pecco's 1:53.262 came at the end of his run, with that time being just over 0.7s slower than his next worst time, while Espargaro showed fantastic consistency to lap in the high 1:51s for two laps and the low 1:52s for five laps. If you were to jump to conclusions following the Qatar Test, then the Ducati and Aprilia duo are the riders to beat in the Tissot Sprint. The 22-lap stint: Binder BEST AVERAGE NO. OF LAPS Binder 1:52.859 1:53.224 22 The only rider to complete a race-distance effort was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Brad Binder. And it was consistent too. Binder clocked three laps in the high 1:52s in his first nine laps, then spent the rest of his race simulation in the low 1:53s. It's a shame we can't directly compare the South African's effort to other 22-lap stints, but of the riders who did well over half race distance, Binder was the quickest. 14 laps or more: Viñales, Nakagami, Alex Marquez, Acosta & Marini BEST AVERAGE NO. OF LAPS Viñales 1:52.710 1:53.322 17 Nakagami 1:53.197 1:53.544 14 Alex Marquez 1:52.843 1:53.693 18 Acosta 1:53.187 1:53.710 18 Marini 1:53.679 1:53.840 14 Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) were the two riders who came closest to logging a full race distance run, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) also just a handful of laps short. For Acosta to be lapping at a similar pace to Alex Marquez in Qatar is another sign that the #31 will be right in the mix from the get-go this season. One thing to note with all the times is tyre life and fuel loads are potentially different, but Acosta's race pace is very promising nevertheless. Viñales' run included nine 1:52s, with the last one - a 1:52.905 - coming on his 15th lap. Couple that with Espargaro's shorter stint and the factory Aprilia riders look like they're in good qualifying, Sprint and race trim ahead of Round 1. Takaaki Nakagami's (Castrol Honda LCR) 14-lap outing was quite impressive, with the Japanese rider demonstrating Honda have undoubtedly made a sizeable leap forward from 2023 to 2024. Nakagami's last four laps in his long run flip-flopped between the 1:53.2 and 1:53.3 bracket, just a tenth or two away from his best lap of the run, and while Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) couldn't get down to the low 1:53s, the Italian's pace didn't fluctuate much either. Maybe that's a sign the RC213V is kind on the tyres? Fast, but not quite the fastest: Di Giannantonio, Bastianini, Bezzecchi & Quartararo BEST AVERAGE NO. OF LAPS Di Giannantonio 1:52.320 1:52.533 11 Bastianini 1:52.016 1:52.541 10 Bezzecchi 1:52.575 1:52.951 9 Quartararo 1:52.551 1:53.042 10 Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) has arguably gone under the radar in pre-season testing. Understandably, plenty of attention has been focused on the likes of Bagnaia, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Acosta and the new parts each factory has brought to the table, but the new VR46 recruit is in great shape ahead of lights out in Qatar. Of Di Giannantonio's 11 laps, seven were below the 1:52.5 marker. Only one lap was a 1:53 - a 1:53.020 - and on the next and last lap of his run, the #49 set a 1:52.472. Not bad at all. After a luckless 2023, Enea Bastianini looks like he's singing his 2022 tune again as 'The Beast' enjoyed a successful pre-season. Bastianini's pace was very similar to Di Giannantonio's in the comparable runs the Italians did, with Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) not quite able to match his compatriots. As we know, race pace isn't the area Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ are worried about heading into 2024. Extracting more from a new soft rear tyre is top of their agenda, but away from that, Fabio Quartararo laid down a decent set of laps in his 10-lap outing. The Frenchman set six 1:52s before his last four laps were all in the 1:53s, his final lap being a 1:53.649. The best part of a second between Quartararo's best and worst laps isn't ideal, but we don't know how much life the tyres had in them. What we do know is if El Diablo can stick in the 1:52s for a few more laps then he'll be towards to meaty end of the points. Take the times with a pinch of salt Delving into the lap time analysis sheets is always interesting when comparing riders against each other. However, as stated about the tyres and fuel loads, take the timesheets with a pinch of salt. Conclusions can be drawn about who's looking in the best shape and who has work to do, but it could all change come Saturday and Sunday in Qatar. Testing is one thing, racing is another. We can't wait to see how Round 1 unfolds under the Lusail lights from the 8th to the 10th of March.
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Post by truenorth on Feb 28, 2024 9:17:42 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Feb 28, 2024 9:34:57 GMT -8
Motorsport.com Moto2 frontrunner Fermin Aldeguer has committed to Pramac Ducati to make his Moto GP debut in 2025.
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Post by truenorth on Feb 29, 2024 7:26:33 GMT -8
2024 Pramac livery
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Post by truenorth on Mar 2, 2024 10:02:34 GMT -8
Moto2™ and Moto3™ Jerez Test: Aldeguer and Rueda take top honours Unofficial lap records are set in both classes as the 2024 Jerez Test draws to a close The chequered flag has been waved at the 2024 Moto2™ and Moto3™ Jerez Test and heading into Qatar's season opener at the top of the timesheets in both classes will be Fermin Aldeguer (Sync SpeedUp) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with unofficial lap records set by both riders. Moto2™: Aldeguer pips Roberts to P1 Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) was the rider to beat on the opening two days in Andalucia, but the Spaniard's 1:40.7 lap time was beaten on the final day as most riders set personal best laps. Aldeguer's was the quickest of the lot, but it was tight - Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) was just 0.044s adrift in P2, with Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) 0.078s away in third. Aldeguer and Roberts did crash on the final day, but that didn't do much to halt their progress with the top three all setting their best laps in the closing session. In total, seven riders lapped under Canet's 1:40.640 all-time intermediate class lap record around the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, as the field got to grips with their new machines and Pirelli's tyres - a huge change for 2024 in Moto2™ and Moto3™. 2023's runner-up Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) led the way for some of the final day, but it's P4 at the close of play for the Italian. P5 on the combined timesheets went the way of Canet, with the fastest quintet just 0.134s apart as Moto2™ looks set to be fiercely competitive again. No surprises there! Elsewhere, Red Bull KTM Ajo's Deniz Öncü ended the three-day outing as the quickest rookie, the Turk set a 1:41.161 on Friday to sit an impressive 0.8s away from Aldeguer. Moto3™: Rueda impresses to beat Alonso David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar Team) - much like Canet - was the pacesetter on Day 1 and Day 2, but fellow sophomore Rueda set a blistering 1:43.272 - not far shy of two seconds quicker than Andrea Migno's lap record - in the penultimate session of the test to climb to P1 overall. That time was 0.043s faster than Alonso's Day 2 effort as the Spaniard and Colombian set mighty laps. So that's it for pre-season testing. Next stop: Qatar. A fascinating year lies ahead in both Moto2™ and Moto3™, and the latest chapter begins very soon.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 2, 2024 10:05:00 GMT -8
Triple threat: MotoGP™ trio vie for history Jack Miller, Maverick Viñales and Alex Rins are all aiming to do what the likes of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo couldn't 2024 promises to deliver another exhilarating year of MotoGP™ action, brimming with compelling storylines. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is on the hunt for three consecutive Championships, a feat not seen since Marc Marquez's four-year dominance was capped off in 2019 and only twice ever in MotoGP™. Marc Marquez, now with Gresini Racing, aims to reclaim his throne while Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) seeks to go one better than his second-place Championship finish in 2023. A win by either Marquez or Martin would mark the first-ever Championship victory by an Independent Team rider in MotoGP™. Adding to the intrigue is the race among three riders to secure victories with three different manufacturers. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) are all chasing this unique milestone, which would be a first in the MotoGP™ era. Miller is a four-time premier class race winner after productive stints with Honda and Ducati, and enters his second year aboard the RC16 targeting a return to the top step. The Australian has already bagged a Sunday podium with the KTM, while he had a massive opportunity to take victory at the 2023 Valencia GP season finale, but unfortunately crashed out of the lead. Viñales has also had his opportunities to complete the hat-trick. A nine-time race winner, once with Suzuki and eight with Yamaha, the #12 has six podiums aboard the RS-GP and towards the end of the 2023 season, Top Gun came close to victory in the 2023 Indonesia GP when he finished just three-tenths behind race winner Bagnaia. It was only Miller and Viñales who competed for the honour in 2023, but now Alex Rins is in the mix after his switch from LCR Honda to Yamaha. The Spaniard has stood on the top step six times in the premier class, most recently at the Circuit of the Americas in 2023 in only his third Grand Prix with Honda’s RC213V. Having proven he can adapt quickly to new machinery, the #42 will certainly be a contender for the hat-trick in 2024. Only four riders have managed to complete the hat-trick, the most recent of which was Loris Capirossi, who took 500cc wins with Yamaha (1996) & Honda (2000), and a MotoGP™ win with Ducati (2003). Before that, Eddie Lawson was the last rider to manage the feat with wins for Yamaha, Honda and Cagiva in 1992, taking over from Randy Mamola who did it with Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha, the most recent of which came in 1987. British racing Legend Mike Hailwood was the first rider to ever do it, taking 500cc wins with Norton, MV Agusta and Honda, the last of which came in 1967. In the current era, some of the biggest names in the sport have tried, and failed, to complete the hat trick, most notably Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. For Rossi, his exploits at Honda and Yamaha ensured that he became a household name across the sporting world, but his ill-fated spell at Ducati is much less revered. During his two seasons with the Bologna bullets, ‘The Doctor’ claimed three podiums, but no race wins and his closest finish to the race winner was over four seconds. Lorenzo on the other hand enjoyed a relatively fruitful spell at Ducati, taking three race wins, but it is was at Honda that he failed to fire in his final season - failing to crack the top 10 in his final season as a Grand Prix racer.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 2, 2024 10:53:19 GMT -8
Moto3 riders almost three-seconds below race lap record at Jerez, more than two-seconds under qualifying record. Moto3 bikes now quicker than Rossi's 500 cc lap record. Jacob Roulstone fastest rookie.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 3, 2024 9:04:03 GMT -8
Neil Morrison Mar 1 That's a wrap for Moto2 testing. Top 5 all looking strong and comfortable. It's close - 0.85 covering 18 riders. Times not as fast as expected, as teams and riders dial settings in with the Pirellis.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 4, 2024 9:56:34 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 4, 2024 10:10:41 GMT -8
Mat Oxley Amazing really - Brembo supplies the entire MotoGP grid for the ninth year running in 2024. Their engineers are usually the most stressed-looking people in pit lane and I can understand why! This is the set-up for high-demand circuits: finned discs, finned calipers & finned pads.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 4, 2024 10:16:20 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 4, 2024 10:31:26 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 4, 2024 10:41:08 GMT -8
Mat Oxley Will be interesting to watch Celestino Vietti (Moto2) this season - he's always had heaps of talent and now he's got Aki Ajo working on the thing between his ears.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 5, 2024 8:07:59 GMT -8
Neil Morrison First Moto2. Fermin Aldeguer was the fastest of the test despite a crash on the final day. Rhythm wasn't amazing as he tested new Speed Up chassis. Manager Hector Faubel told me *every* MotoGP factory showed an interest in him over winter. A definite favourite. Maybe story of the test was reemergence of Joe Roberts (P2). So happy to be back at American Racing & a team communicating in English. Asked about Pirellis said, “I love ‘em.” Jerez normally isn’t a great track so to be top 2 every day bodes well. Manu Gonzalez (P3) has experience of Pirellis from WorldSPP. Big fan of the front tyre in particular. Fitted into Gresini immediately and very confident on used rubber. Drastically improved fast lap on final day, too. Big ? regarding performance of Pirelli’s rear tyre. But Aaron Canet was in a class of his own over a longer distance. Lap 22 was just 0.5s slower than his first flyer. Not a bad drop. First days in Fantic team ‘like being with a new girlfriend.’ Tony Arbolino had a massive crash on day 2 at T1 but was OK. Been getting used to Pirellis by riding his R1 & R6 with them over winter. Decent 1 lap speed (big problem last year). But still some way off over a longer run. Ai Ogura’s switched to new MSI team (formerly Pons) on Boscoscuro chassis. A big change but he’s brought crew chief + 2 others with him from Honda Team Asia. Impressed by chassis’ ability to manage rear tyre. Also, he’s fully fit – not able to say that often in ’23. What of Jake Dixon (12th)? Aspar (+ Ajo & Inact) switched from Ohlins suspension to WP and still finding their way. Dixon frustrated at Jerez, & asked WP for a bit more urgency. Still looking for a base but has stayed calm – said he mightn’t have managed that in the past. Average lap time from long runs over last 2 days: Canet – 1m 41.093s (22 laps) Roberts – 1m 41.17 (8) Chantra – 1m 41.35s (20) Gonzalez – 1m 41.443 (21) Ogura – 1m 41.534 (18) Oncu – 1m 41.593 (19) Arbolino – 1m 41.609 (22) Aldeguer – 1m 41.768 (10) Vietti - 1m 41.777 (22)
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Post by truenorth on Mar 5, 2024 8:13:21 GMT -8
Moto3 Everyone was amazed by lap times & rhythm of Jose Antonio Rueda (P1). 1.7s under previous absolute lap record. Also, his 18-lap run on day 2 was insane, 0.4s faster *per lap* than anyone else (bar Holgado). Adapted to new KTM & Pirellis immediately. David Alonso (P2) was quick but still taking time to get used to KTM’s all new ‘24 bike. Many saying it needs a big riding style adjustment, less focussed on heavy braking. Still blindingly fast over a fast lap. Collin Veijer (6th) is poised for another great year. Spent winter training in Spain & kept same crew as ’23. Now longest serving rider in Intact’s Moto3 team, and feels comfortable in role. Longer run on Friday fairly handy. Dani Holgado had a big crash in Portimao & banged his left wrist. Told me he feels OK but couldn’t do longer runs. Already comfortable on new bike and expects to be up there in Qatar. A higher up in KTM’s Moto3 project told me they expect 5 of their riders to fight for title: Rueda, Alonso, Holgado, Veijer and Ivan Ortola. Now at MSI, he spent most of longer runs in slipstream of new team-mate Ryusei Yamanaka (& vice versa). And what of Honda? Fair to say updates didn’t quite deliver. New engine has better top speed but being blown away by KTMs in lower gears. One Honda team manager *seriously* unimpressed, was already writing season off in Jerez. Average time from longer runs over the last 2 days: Rueda – 1m 44.453 (18 laps) Holgado – 1m 44.710 (5) Veijer – 1m 44.848 (14) Yamanaka – 1m 45.33 (14) Alonso – 1m 45.515 (19) Ortola – 1m 45.578 (16)
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Post by truenorth on Mar 5, 2024 9:40:42 GMT -8
Bagnaia and Ducati sign two-year MotoGP™ renewal The two-time MotoGP™ World Champion and the Italian factory will continue racing together in 2025 and 2026 Just days before the start of the 2024 MotoGP™ World Championship, Ducati Corse and Francesco Bagnaia solidified their future together by putting pen to paper, announcing the signing of an agreement that binds the two-time MotoGP™ World Champion to the Borgo Panigale manufacturer for the 2025 and 2026 seasons as well. The contract renewal ensures continuity for an all-Italian winning pair: a perfect combination of the technology and performance of the Desmosedici GP and the talent, passion, and determination of Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia. Born in Turin in 1997 and residing in Pesaro, Bagnaia joined Ducati with Pramac Racing in 2019. With the extension of his current contract, he will further solidify his place in the history of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, becoming the second rider to be linked with Ducati for a total of eight years. Bagnaia made a name for himself in 2020 by securing his first MotoGP™ podium in his home race at Misano, and in 2021, he was promoted to the factory team. During his first year riding the red Ducati Lenovo Team machine, he narrowly missed out on winning the World title, finishing as the runner-up. 2022 marked Bagnaia's breakthrough, as he clinched his first MotoGP™ Riders' World title, also becoming the first Italian to do so on an Italian bike: the Desmosedici GP. This victory marked Ducati's second Riders' World title, following Casey Stoner's success in 2007, 15 years earlier. With the number 1 on his bike's front fairing, Bagnaia was again crowned World Champion in 2023, thanks to another remarkable season that saw him claim 15 podiums, seven victories, and seven pole positions. Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team): "I am so happy to continue racing with the team of my dreams! Wearing these colours is an honour for me. It's fantastic and a source of pride. Together with Ducati, my team, and all the guys at Ducati Corse, we've achieved incredible things. In these three more years (including 2024) ahead of us, we'll continue to give our best to achieve as much success as possible. I am overjoyed and ready to hit the track in Qatar for the first race of the year." Claudio Domenicali (CEO Ducati Motor Holding): "Pecco is truly the perfect rider for Ducati. He represents our values at their best: style, elegance, and performance. Not only is he fast, determined, and tenacious on track, but he also stands out for his elegance and education off the track. I am very happy for this renewal, which I am sure Ducatisti all over the world will welcome with enthusiasm." Luigi Dall'Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager): "We are extremely happy to have Bagnaia with us again for 2025 and 2026. Together, we have written an important page of motorcycling history: Pecco was the first Italian rider to win a World Title in MotoGP with an Italian bike, our Desmosedici GP. Together, we brought back a Riders' World Title that had been missing for 15 years, and we did it again last year. He is a two-time World Champion and has proven on more than one occasion that he truly deserves the number 1 on the fairing of his bike. In addition to these results, Bagnaia continues to demonstrate that he is in perfect harmony with his bike and team. For all these reasons, it was natural for us to want to continue with him. Therefore, we look forward to this new chapter together, confident that we can achieve other important results."
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Post by truenorth on Mar 5, 2024 9:43:31 GMT -8
The wait has always been worth it Nick Harris looks ahead to the 2024 season and recalls the excitement at the start of some seasons gone by for very different reasons You have waited four months for this moment. All your fears and expectations may not be fully answered but there will be a real indication of what lies ahead in the next 20 races. Have riders, teams and organisers made the correct decisions? The Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar under the Lusail floodlights this weekend may be just the start, but many questions will be answered. The biggest of them all. Can Marc Marquez become the oldest premier class World Champion in the MotoGP™ era? Six premier titles in 10 seasons and now the switch from Honda to Ducati. Even Valentino Rossi’s defection to Yamaha from Honda in 2004 didn’t create the same headlines, although Marquez will enjoy reading them as he embarks on his voyage of discovery. Rossi won that opening Grand Prix in South Africa and went on to retain the World title. It can be done Marc. Spanish Moto2™ World Champion Pedro Acosta lines up for his premier class debut. Pressure is already mounting after some impressive testing performances on the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3. Can the Spanish teenager emulate Marquez by adding the MotoGP™ crown to his Moto3™ and Moto2™ titles in his first season? Could he match Jarno Saarinen and Max Biaggi by winning on his premier class debut? Neither of them went on to win the World title for very different reasons but Marquez won on his second premier class appearance en route to the World title. Can double World Champion Pecco Bagnaia join a very exclusive club only nine riders have won three successive premier class titles. His Ducati Lenovo teammate Enea Bastanini faces the season with real hope after an injury-hit debut season with the team, crashing in the opening round last year. I remember Barry Sheene returning to race at the opening round in the 1983 South African Grand Prix. Six months after he had 28 screws and two plates fitted to his shattered legs, following his Silverstone practice crash. The double 500cc World Champion finished tenth on his return in South Africa. It's not only riders and teams who have watched that opening round with trepidation after making some big decisions. The opening round at Suzuka in Japan 2002 represented the biggest change before and since. The switch to the four-stroke era arrived. Could the 500cc two-strokes remain competitive against the 990 cc four-strokes? I thought they could at certain circuits, but my theory disappeared in a flurry of sound and speed. Valentino Rossi led the revolution with victory on the RCV 211V Honda. The only two-stroke threat came at the Sachsenring, but Olivier Jacque and Alex Barros crashed out while leading. In 1987 the riders faced a very new challenge again in the opening round at Suzuka. Clutch starts at last replaced the old push starts in all classes. For 38 years riders had to push start their machines to fire up their engines to begin a Grand Prix. Some sat side saddle, cocking their leg onto the footrest once the engine fired into life. Others just pushed and pushed, jumping into the saddle when they had enough speed to interest the engine. As you can imagine it was a change well received by everybody. It all began on a dry bright morning on June 13, 1949, when the 350cc riders lined up on the Glencrutchery Road on the Isle of Man. A world ravished by the horrendous effects of a World War that had ended four years earlier was ready to celebrate, embrace and enjoy bringing some much-needed light to a dark place. The very first race of a World Championship that celebrates its 75th birthday this season. Nothing has changed in three-quarters of a century. The wait is still worth it
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