Reigning MotoGP Champion Pecco Bagnaia was calm and confident after three days on the 2023 Ducati Lenovo at Sepang.
As testing in Malaysia came to a close, Bagnaia was all smiles after setting his best ever time around the 5.5km venue. His 1’57.969 one of just two under the 1’58 marker, with Sunday’s final day providing the solutions needed to bring the new Desmosedici up to the impressive standard he finished his title-winning season at.
“Finally, I'm very happy,” Bagnaia confirmed on Sunday evening. “Was a tough day, full of work and then after the lunch, we solve a lot of things about the new bike, about acceleration, so I'm very, very happy.
“With used tyres we did an incredible pace and then for a time attack, I was happy,” he continued after missing out on the overall top lap time of the three days by a mere 0.08s - that honour going to fellow VR46 Academy rider Luca Marini on the Mooney GP22.
“Always the first two time attacks of the year are a bit difficult for the margin that you have to take but I'm very happy to have done the lap time in ’57. I never did it, so it's my best lap time here!
“Sincerely, we solved a lot of the problems and we finished the test, I think, as the same level to the 2022 so I'm very happy. I'm very relaxed and happy because I was a bit scared to be not at the same level. So finishing the first test like this is okay and we have to continue like this.”
Two final days of pre-season testing is scheduled for March 11th and 12th at Portimao’s Algarve International Circuit, ahead of the opening round at the same track. With the GP23 already proving a match for its indomitable predecessor, how much more is left for the Bologna factory to uncover before round one fires up in anger?
“We have to wait for Portimao but the start is good,” Bagnaia admitted confidently. “Having three days of tests and these days of sun was really good for us to finish our job and target accomplished so we can be satisfied about where we improved today.”
While the Italian was happy with his day’s work, his fellow Ducati riders were hard on his wheels in terms of performance across the weekend, with Marini topping the overall times and Mooney teammate Macro Bezzecchi fastest on Friday. Something he’s convinced will remain the case as the season unfolds.
“They are very competitive and they have the best bike of last year so for sure, will be tough,” he said of the coming challengers. “Like last year with Enea [Bastianini]. So let's see. I'm sure that they can fight for the top five position every race. We have just to be better.
“Considering the improvement we did today, I'm sure that our bike and the new bike have a really great potential. We did the top speed and also the acceleration finally was similar to the 2022. So I'm more proud of our job than the second position, that is obviously really good in a test and considering the many things we tried.”
