07.02.2022 |
Christina Bulpett |
MotoGP
Ducati Lenovo officially launched its 20th MotoGP campaign on Monday, celebrating the “unbreakable bonds” of the Italian brand’s successful history.
As the Desmosedici GP22s sported the traditional ‘Ducati Red’ for the first time in their World Championship career, Pecco Bagnaia and Jack Miller spoke about the support within the factory team that has enabled them to finish second and fourth alongside the team in the World Championship and Manufacturers’ titles in 2021, both aiming for more this time around.
“We live together as a family,” confirmed Paolo Ciabatti, Sport Director of Ducati Corse, at the presentation. “We celebrate success and try to support each other when there is failure.”
“I grew up with the idea and the desire to one day be a driver,” Bagnaia said. “This is my second year in the factory team. I have always been driven by this desire and it has always given me the impetus to get there one day. For me it is fundamental to arrive at the pits and feel a relaxed atmosphere. I need a strong bond with the people I work with. We joke, we have fun, but when it gets serious we get to work and make it perfect. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
“In my opinion, Ducati shows a lot of love in how they put the team together and you can tell there’s a lot of support there,” added Miller.
“The championship is finally starting and I feel more ready than ever to face this new season,” confirmed the Australian. “Having gained another year of experience in MotoGP I definitely feel stronger and I feel like I’ve improved a lot both physically and mentally compared to 2021. It will be my second year with the Ducati Lenovo team, a group of people who are really passionate about motorsport and I feel lucky to be a part of it.
“Being a Ducati factory rider is a source of pride and means having the support of many fans, not just in Italy but around the world. I can’t wait for March and can’t wait to hit the track for the first race of the year in Qatar!”
“I’m looking forward to the start of this new season,” continued Bagnaia. “We ended 2021 on a high note and I hope that in 2022 we can pick up where we left off last year. Since then my team and I have grown a lot. I feel good in my team and am sure that we can achieve great things together.
“The Desmosedici GP is even more beautiful in this new color and I can’t wait to race it again. The goal for this season, as always, will be to constantly improve and be competitive in every race. Our goal is to bring the MotoGP Riders, Team and Manufacturers titles back to Borgo Panigale.”
“Ducati is the most legendary motorcycle brand in the world and if anything, the most innovative manufacturer,” continued Ciabatti. “In Moto GP, Ducati introduced many new ideas, starting with aerodynamics, back in 2015 and so many innovations. So it’s a group that keeps working and trying to find new solutions with different approaches. We’re not conventional, we’re not as big as some of the other manufacturers, so we have to think differently.”
“Since we’ve been testing the new fairing for the last few times, I think the overall feedback from all the riders has been very positive,” confirmed Miller. “That and the new exhaust. I am definitely very excited to get the GP22 out on track full of rage!”