Mooney VR46 became the latest MotoGP team to lift the covers on their 2023 Ducati charges on Monday morning.

Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi presented their respective number 10 and 72 jet black Desmosedici’s under the direction of team owner Valentino Rossi, as the pair prepare for the final pre-season tests at Portimao, in Portugal next weekend.

It’s the tenth season in the Grand Prix paddock for the Tavullia team, its second in the premier class as a satellite Ducati squad, with Marini aiming for top five consistency this season despite the ever-increasing calendar and demands of the new schedule.

“In the test I really felt the difference from last year’s bike,” Bezzecchi commented. “This bike is fantastic and I felt immediately good from the beginning. The connection from the gas is very precise but also the aero is different, so I really like it.”

“This new spec is much better” Marini agreed, after enjoying a year’s experience on the GP2022. “Is fantastic because I can have good speed in the straight but good agility inside the corners, so I think we are close to perfection.

“The package that we have now is very good, the pace was strong, the lap time on the qualifying simulation was fantastic. I’m really satisfied about it but we need to wait.

“I think that we can fight for the top five position in every race.

“I want to try to use our potential in the first races because I think that the factory team need to work a little bit on the new specification, while we are ready now for try to win. So this is the target for the first races.”

“My only target is to try to reach a first victory, so this is the goal that I’m searching for for the beginning,” Bezzecchi added. “Having a package that is already very fast, very competitive from the end of last year, I think that in the first races for sure we are more ready maybe, compare the factory team. So we have to use this small advantage because then they will arrive!”

“I expect a great 2023 from the Mooney VR46 Racing Team,” Rossi confirmed. “Last year we made our debut in MotoGP after so many years in Moto3 and Moto2 and it was a fantastic season. We were fast, even though the Team was a new one. The guys did a great job, fighting for the podium and the front positions on several occasions. This continues to be our goal also for 2023.

“We have two very fast and more experienced riders, I hope they can make another step forward to get their first victory and conquer as many podiums as possible.

“Luca is in his third season in MotoGP and I expect a lot from him.

“He has made great steps forward in 2022, he has grown a lot and has come close to the podium several times: he deserved it. In the testing sessions he was very fast and he is competitive. Marco can do well too, in his rookie year in MotoGP, which is difficult for everyone, he was very good. He hit the podium in Assen and did many races with the fastest guys till the end. He has to continue like this and can improve to be even faster in his second year in the top class”.