Ducati feedback from Sepang test

Test MotoGP Sepang 2023
ducati

With eight Ducati riders having completed a total of more than 1000 Sepang laps, Bologna-based engineers now have a trove of data to analyze ahead of the final pre-season tests that will take place at the National Circuit Algarve Hospital in Portimao, Portugal on March 11-12.

That’s over 15,000 corners, brake points, turns and acceleration lines to pass.

Luca Marini came out on top among Ducati MotoGP riders ranked 1-2-4-5-7-8-9-16 after three days of testing at the 5543-meter Sepang International Circuit.

In the flow of the strongest after opening day, then quickly getting wet on Saturday, Marini made a significant advance on Sunday that included an active sprint race simulation. The 25-year-old Italian tennis player set the milestone in the GP22 test at 1m57,889. Just behind the all-time 1m57,790 lap record set by Jorge Martin in the 2022 Malaysia Grand Prix qualifier.

Luca Marini – P1

“A good start and a great test: we followed the program and we finished it. We’ve made some good strides in terms of engine braking, traction and forward feel. If I had to describe it, but not only in terms of lap times, perfect test! I also kept a good pace in the sprint, low at 59, and I also tried some overtaking simulations. We need a better understanding of how to deal with this kind of gap as it will be a demanding race. The leaderboard amazes me, there are 20 riders in 1 second difference. The level is very high, anyone can win, but the important thing is to stay there.”

While the development of the GP22 driven by Marini is already at its peak, the others on the GP23 are just beginning to explore the potential surface to be unlocked.

Pecco Bagnaia tested out the new exhaust pipes on Sunday instead of the ground-effect-style side shields he tested out days earlier and is said to prefer the ducts he tested on Sunday.

Francesco Bagnaia – P2

“I am very happy and proud of the work completed on this test. After today’s lunch break, we modified the new bike allowing us to upgrade it to last year’s parity. That is my goal, so we can only be satisfied. Of course, we have to keep working to improve other aspects of it and make it more pleasant, but we still have two more days of testing in Portugal to do that. In Portimão, it was important to retry the two aerodynamic solutions tested here. I already have a hobby, but I also want to try them on a different track. In Portimão we will definitely focus on the development of the GP23 and we will also have to try to simulate a Sprint Race, so the last two days of testing will be important.“

Bagnaia’s new Ducati Lenovo teammate, Enea Bastianini, got new aerodynamics on both bikes but one with a water exhaust and one with ground-effect underbody shields.

Enea Bastianini – P4

“It’s been three very hard, but also very productive, days, and I’m satisfied with the work done in these three days. At first I had a hard time adapting to the new bike, but this afternoon we understood what needed improvement, allowing me to ramp up race times and pace. Pecco has the same feeling as me, making it easier to compare data and talk to engineers. We have yet to decide which cranks to use this year from the ones we tried here in Sepang and we will try them again in Portimão. This will be the final test before the opening race of the season so it will be crucial. We are not 100% of our potential yet, but we are very close to it“.

Ducati Lenovo team manager Davide Tardozzi was also pleased overall, but he also stressed that the details of the all-new bike will be decided at Portimão. He also reports that Bagnaia says there are good points to the ’23 machine, but there is still “a weakness” compared to the GP22.

At Prima Pramac Racing, Jorge Martin was particularly vocal about going ahead with the 2023 engine and finishing fifth at the end of the game. Teammate Johann Zarco was also spending time assessing the ground effects of the bottom shields, and while completing P16, the Frenchman was still less than a second behind Marini’s benchmark.

Mooney VR46 Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi finished eighth on Sunday, just behind Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) 0.019 on another GP22.

Fabio Di Giannantonio – P7

“The step up from last year is there and quite obvious. This bike is less restrictive than its predecessor and has more improvements, especially in cornering exits, where you can work on perfecting the traction aspect of things. We worked well with the team and we focused on race speed: not only to prepare for the race but also to understand how the bike works and how I deal with used tyres. We haven’t reached our full potential yet, but it’s a good start nonetheless.”

Marco Bezzecchi – P8

“I’m really pleased with how much work we were able to do in three days. Yesterday’s rain changed our plans a bit, but today we were able to try many things on the bike. I have gathered important and meaningful information and I am very happy. I found a good base set-up and then I just made some modifications to understand the feeling that comes from the bike and I can also exploit in other tracks. I didn’t do the simulation, it was scheduled, but in the end we wanted to avoid it.“

New Ducati racer Alex Marquez is less than half a second below Marini’s benchmark.

Alex Marquez- P9

“We worked quite a bit on the bike and setup, and we also did a timing attack. It’s important to understand setup-wise, especially considering my riding style: we’re still missing something, but overall it was a very productive and constructive day. We’ve learned a lot in these three days and at Portimao we’ll try to tweak some details to get ready for the first race.“

MotoGP riders have two more days of testing from March 11-12 at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão before conquering the first GP of the season at the same track from March 24 to 26.

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