Ducati Lenovo Team MotoGP & Ducati Lenovo Team
Ducati have revealed the livery of their official MotoGP and WorldSBK teams. Ducati Lenovo Team is set to cdefend the Constructors’, Teams’ and Riders’ World Titles in 2023 – a campaign that will be led by Francesco Bagnaia who is joined for the new season by Enea Bastianini.
Claudio Domenicali – CEO of Ducati Motor Holding
“Today we live another remarkable moment for Ducati. For the first time in the Company’s history, we are launching together both MotoGP and WorldSBK official teams, the Ducati Lenovo Team and Aruba.it – Racing Ducati team. Resuming all together is a beautiful way to celebrate the value and skills of the best Ducati Corse squad ever, whose everyday work has taken us to the top of the world. After the incredible successes of the past racing season, the challenge of reconfirming ourselves fascinates us. I am happy that it starts from a location like Madonna di Campiglio, a perfect expression of the “Made in Italy” of which we are proud ambassadors.
“Ducati is a brand distinguished by style, performance and technology, where passion for racing is a central element. Working while having fun is part of our philosophy. It adds value to what we do and allows us to commit even more by managing fatigue better. The beauty and opportunities of the mountains that welcome us are the perfect opportunities to combine the commitments of the presentation event with moments of pure delight to give us the right energy for the start of the season.”
The official Ducati team also this year celebrates 20 years since its debut in the premier class in 2003, with Francesco Bagnaia adopting the #1 racing number, instead of his usual #63.
Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team
“My winter break was shorter than usual because of all the commitments after winning the World Championship, but now I am charged up and eager to start the season. I have missed the Desmosedici GP and my team, and I can’t wait to get back on track. I could not decide whether to continue using the number 63 or switch to the number 1, and in the end, I decided on the latter. Seeing it on the bike is beautiful, and now my goal will be to do everything to keep it. It won’t be easy because I expect even tougher competition than last year, with many rivals ready to fight for the title: however, I am aware that I have the best bike and team to aim high again in 2023. Thanks again to all of Ducati and my team! I am ready to resume our adventure together.”
Enea Bastianini, Bagnaia’s new team-mate, makes his debut wearing the Ducati Lenovo Team colours.
Enea Bastianini – Ducati Lenovo Team
“Wearing the colours of the official team is a great emotion, and now it is up to me to prove that I deserve this opportunity. I am excited about the new season! Fortunately, I won’t have to wait long to be able to ride my red Desmosedici GP bike on track. In a couple of weeks, we will be in Sepang for the first test of the year, and it will be a crucial moment to get to know the guys in the team better and, above all, to start working on the bike. It’s going to be a very competitive year, and there will definitely be easy and more difficult moments to face, but I’m ready for anything! Thanks again to Claudio, Gigi, Paolo, Davide and the whole Ducati! I will give 100% as always.”
MotoGP will first head to Malaysia for the Sepang Official Shakedown on February 5, followed by the February 10 Official Test. March will see the field return to Europe for the Portimao MotoGP Official Test, before Round 1 kicks off as the Grande Prémio de Portugal at the same location.
The Aruba.it Racing Ducati Team were also present with their WorldSBK machinery, Alvaro Bautista set to defend his WSBK title with Michael Rinaldi alongside him in the squad.
Alvaro Bautista – Aruba.it Racing Ducati
“We have a new challenge ahead of us. After a fantastic season in which we won with Ducati in both Superbike and MotoGP, 2023 will inevitably be a difficult year. Racing with the number 1, in fact, means that our objective can only be one: to win. We’ll have a lot of pressure but at the same time we’ll have to keep calm, try to work with high concentration but also with serenity. We’ll have a new bike and even if it won’t be extremely different from the 2022 one, the work that we’ll be able to do before the first race is crucial: we have to fix all the details that will allow us to get the best performance. I’d also like to address a thought to all the Ducatistas: I’m very proud of all our fans who followed us last season, and I hope that with the result we’ve achieved, in 2023 there will be even more of them supporting us at circuits all over the world. I am a Ducatista and I feel lucky to be able to defend the colours of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team.”
Michael Rinaldi – Aruba.it Racing Ducati
“I start this new adventure with great enthusiasm. Together with my team we have always made progress in the last two years, managing to improve our results. As a team we won the three titles last season and this means that the package is very strong. During the winter, we have analysed the points we have to focus on, in order to improve and to be competitive for the title race. I have worked a lot over the last few weeks and I will continue to do so with great dedication as I want to always be able to express my maximum potential. There will be a lot of new things, also on the bike, so I can’t wait to get started. I want to thank Aruba and Ducati for the opportunity to ride this beautiful Panigale V4 R and be part of such an ambitious team.”
Stefano Cecconi – Team Principal Aruba.it Racing Ducati
“We have worked hard over the last few years to achieve the result of last season. Winning the title, however, does not represent a point of arrival for us, but rather an extra stimulus to keep on developing and increasing our professionalism and commitment. Therefore, we will start again from the certainties of Alvaro, the desire of Michael, the performance of the Ducati Panigale V4 R and the inestimable human value of the entire team. It will be an unprecedented season for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati: we will probably be considered the team to beat. This means responsibility, concentration, determination but also pride, a sense of belonging and a desire to defend the position we have conquered without ever losing faith in our means, even when the results were not what we hoped for. We have represented Ducati in the Superbike World Championship since 2015 and we want to continue to do so in the best possible way in the 2023 season. That’s why I wish the riders and all the team members the best of luck.”
Aruba.it Racing Ducati riders and staff will now leave Madonna di Campiglio to travel to Jerez della Frontera where the first tests of the 2023 season will get underway on Wednesday, followed by the Portimao sessions scheduled for 31 January and 1 February.
The first race weekend (preceded by two more days of testing) is set for 24-26 February at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia.
Here’s a closer at both the Ducati Lenovo Team MotoGP and Ducati Lenovo Team bikes and riders:
