The 2021 season proved to be one of Ducati’s strongest after claiming seven wins courtesy of Francesco Bagnaia (4), Jack Miller (2) and Pramac rookie Jorge Martin.
This secured Ducati top spot in the Constructors’ Championship, while Bagnaia finished the year second in the Riders’ Championship behind Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.
Ducati was due to start its 2022 season last week but had to postpone its event after Miller tested positive for COVID-19 in Australia.
The Italian manufacturer has postponed its launch to Monday 7th February but revealed a largely unchanged livery in a teaser video on Monday morning.
2022 Ducati Bikes livery
Photo by: Ducati Corse
The new livery will make its track debut this week at the shakedown test ahead of the official two-day pre-season test at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
It is MotoGP’s first visit to Sepang since the 2020 pre-season, with the COVID pandemic forcing the cancellation of the last two Malaysian Grands Prix.
The factory Ducati team will field an unchanged lineup of Bagnaia and Miller for 2022.
Bagnaia heads into the year as the title favorite after claiming four wins in a 2021 breakout and ultimately missing the championship by just 26 points.
At the last two-day test after the conclusion of the 2021 season, Bagnaia won the test on the 2022 Ducati straight away.
2022 Ducati Bikes livery
Photo by: Ducati Corse
Speaking to the media after the Jerez test, Bagnaia said Ducati had already built the “perfect” bike in 2021 but could still improve it.
Ducati’s rider roster will grow to eight in 2022 as they bring Gresini Racing – which has now parted ways with Aprilia – on board as a satellite team.
That means the factory squad of Ducati, Pramac, Gresini and Valentino Rossi’s VR46 squad will represent the Italian marque this year.
VR46’s Bagnaia, Miller, Martin, Johann Zarco and Luca Marini will have 2022-spec machines, while the Gresini duo of Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi will have 2021 bikes.
Gresini unveiled its new livery earlier this month, while Pramac is set to start its season on February 2nd.