Francesco Bagnaia and Ducati Corse have reached an agreement that will see the Italian rider continue to ride the Desmosedici GP for another two season.
Bagnaia will remain with Ducati Lenovo Team until 2024 after agreeing a two-year contract with the Italian outfit.
According to Bagnaia, the decision to extend his stay with the team was easy one considering that it was his dream to race with Team Red.
“Being a Ducati rider in MotoGP has always been my dream, and knowing that I can continue with the Ducati Lenovo Team for another two seasons makes me happy and proud.
“I have found a serene environment in the factory team: I feel very much in tune with my team and know that we can do great things together.
Now I can only concentrate on doing well in this Championship. A big thank you to Claudio, Gigi, Paolo, Davide and all the Ducati Corse staff.
“I’ll try to repay their trust with my results on the track!,” he said.
The 25-year-old rider came closed to win 2021 MotoGP season in his debut season with Factory Ducati, after claiming nine podiums, four victories and six pole position before losing out to eventual winner, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.
He will now shift his focused to overcome last season disappointment with the new season, which will start on 6th March at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.
Meanwhile, Luigi Dall’Igna, General Manager of Ducati Corse, also expressed his excitement over the new deal.
“We are delighted to have Bagnaia with us for another two seasons.
“Since he arrived at Ducati in 2019, Pecco has shown great talent and the ability to interpret our Desmosedici GP very well, adapting to ride it in any condition.
“He did it, especially in the last season, during which he had significant growth and got to play for the World Title.
“The way he managed the races at Aragón, Misano, Portimão and Valencia, scoring four fantastic victories, is proof of his maturity as a rider. With these great qualities, we are sure that he has the potential to aim for the title with us,” he said.
Ducati has decided to postpone its plan to hold its official 2022 team launch on January 28 after Jack Miller has unfortunately tested positive for Covid-19.
Miller has been home training in Australia over the break before he tested positive. The Australian, however is currently asymptomatic but will be unlikely to leave Australia to be in Europe for the official team launch
According to Ducati, Miller is currently isolated at home and will undergo a second PCR test next week to assess the situation.
Nevertheless, Ducati has moved its 2022 MotoGP team launch until February 7 2022, after the Sepang test.
“Unfortunately, I’ve been tested positive for Covid-19, which means I am unable to travel to Europe.
“I am still home in Australia and doing fine. Since I don’t have any symptoms, at least I can continue with my training. I miss you all and will see you in Sepang for the test,” said Miller in a statement.
Miller, together with Pecco Bagnaia will be in Sepang for the 2022 MotoGP official test scheduled on February 4 to 6.
Francesco Bagnaia produced a dazzling display to record his third win MotoGP win of the season as the race was cut short due to a red flag incident involving Iker Lecuona and Miguel Oliveira.
The Ducati Corse rider was on top of his game in Portimao, leading every lap around the circuit since the start of the race.
Despite a bad start that saw teammate Jack Miller take the lead from Bagnaia, the Australian lead lasted just one corner as Bagnaia repassed Miller at Turn 2.
Bagnaia was leading the race comfortably ahead of Joan Mir and Miller with just five laps to go.
Shortly after that, Lecuona crashed into Oliveira, which resulted in a red flag.
The red flag means Bagnaia recorded his third premier class win while Mir and Miller completed the podium.
“I’m thrilled! We deserved this pole position, as in the Portuguese GP, our lap time got cancelled due to the yellow flags.
“I was improving again on the last lap, but unfortunately, I made a mistake in the last sector and went wide. We are strong this weekend; we tried both the medium and hard tyre, and we were pretty competitive with both.
“Today was cool and windy, but tomorrow the conditions should be better, so tomorrow morning we’ll evaluate what our final tyre choice will be for the race,” said Bagnaia.
Meanwhile, the success of Bagnaia and Miller alongside fellow Ducati’s Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini has helped the Italian firm to be crowned back-to-back 2021 MotoGP Constructors World Champion.
Ducati secured a total of 21 podiums this season.
Francesco Bagnaia continues his strong form as the Ducati rider secured a back-to-back pole position after setting a new lap record in Misano.
He will start the race on Sunday ahead of teammate Jack Miller while championship leader Fabio Quartararo completes the first row at P3.
Quartararo set the pace during the opening run of Q2 with the fastest lap time before Bagnaia sensationally went three tenths quicker than the Frenchman.
However, Quartararo had to settle with P3 as Miller clocked in a better time to take P2.
Meanwhile, this is the third time Bagnaia has recorded a new all-time lap record just as he managed a week ago in Aragon.
“I am happy about today. A week ago, we were feeling great in Aragon, and today is the same.
“Everything is going so well, and I am very comfortable with the bike,” said the 24-year-old.
Bagnaia currently sits behind Quartararo in the championship with just 53 points gap with only four rounds to go.
Pelumba factory Ducati, Jack Miller, menyambut baik sekiranya pasukan itu membekalkan empat pasukan dan lapan pelumba bagi musim 2022.
Ketika ini, Ducati membariskan Miller dan Francesco Bagnaia di samping turut membekalkan Desmosedici GP kepada Pramac yang telah pun melanjutkan perjanjian sebagai pasukan satelit utama sehingga 2024.
Bagaimanapun, Avintia – selaku pasukan ketiga Ducati – bakal menamatkan kontrak bersaing di kelas premier hujung musim ini dan akan digantikan dengan Aramco Racing Team VR46.
Situasi ini sekaligus menguatkan khabar angin bahawa VR46 bakal menjadi pasukan satelit Ducati musim depan.
Pada masa sama, Ducati turut dicanang berminat menjalinkan kerjasama dengan pasukan Gresini, yang akan bergerak sendirian setelah perjanjian bersama Aprilia berakhir di akhir musim ini.
“Jika ada lapan Ducati bermakna, jentera 2021 milik saya dan Pecco (Bagnaia), serta Johann Zarco dan Jorge Martin di Pramac akan dibekalkan kepada dua pasukan baharu musim depan.
“Jika itu perancangannya maka saya berasakan Ducati Corse mempunyai asas yang baik untuk melaksanakannya,” jelas Miller.
Dalam perkembangan lain, saingan MotoGP kembali bersambung hujung minggu ini di Litar Catalunya, Sepanyol.
Bekas pelumba Ducati MotoGP, Andrea Dovizioso, akhirnya buka mulut mengenai keputusannya untuk tinggalkan pasukan itu selepas lapan musim.
Walaupun pada awalnya timbul dakwaan Ducati dan Dovizioso gagal mencapai kata putus membabitkan pemotongan gaji susulan Covid-19, pelumba Itali itu dalam temu bual terbaru menafikan perkara tersebut.
“Ada yang mendakwa saya mahukan itu ini. Itu semua tipu. Saya tidak ditawarkan kontrak baharu dan tiada sebarang perbincangan berlaku,” tegas Dovizioso.
Ketika di GP Austria musim lalu, pengurus pasukan Ducati, Davide Tardozzi, mengesahkan pihaknya sedang menilai prestasi Dovizioso sehingga memberitahu media pelumba itu ada tiga perlumbaan untuk membuktikan dirinya.
Tidak tahan dengan layanan tersebut, Dovizioso mengumumkan keputusan untuk meninggalkan pasukan itu sehari kemudian menerusi pengurusnya, Simone Battistella.
Kemudian timbul dakwaan kegagalan mencapai persetujuan kontrak adalah disebabkan faktor gaji namun Dovizioso menafikan perkara itu.
“Sehingga kini saya masih tidak tahu mengapa mereka tidak mahukan saya. Apa yang saya sedia maklum, (Luigi) Dall’Igna telah membuat keputusan itu pada mesyuarat yang diadakan pada 2019.
“Mesyuarat itu sepatutnya membincangkan isu teknikal, kami ada idea berbeza dan mahu bertemu dengan semua jurutera.
“Kemudian berlaku konfrontasi di antara kami (Dovizioso dan Gigi), saya tidak tahu bagaimana untuk menggambarkannya tetapi Gigi berasakan dirinya seperti diserang.
“Saya rasa ketika dia keluar dari mesyuarat itu dan menutup pintu dia telah membuat keputusan.
“Kenyataan yang dibuat pada 2020 mengenai motivasi saya adalah tidak betul,” tambah Dovizioso.
Meskipun lapan tahun bersama Ducati, pelumba berusia 34 tahun itu mendedahkan dia tiada sebarang hubungan dengan Gigi apatah lagi tidak pernah duduk semeja bagi membincangkan pembangunan jentera sejak 2017.
“Sebelum ini hubungan kami berada di tahap 30 peratus tetapi menjadi keruh sejak penyertaan Jorge Lorenzo pada 2017.
“Kami sering bercanggah pendapat dan bertengkar dan semenjak itu pasukan saya diketepikan sehingga kami tidak lagi bercakap tentang pembangunan jentera,” jelas Dovizioso.
Ducati bakal mempertaruhkan Jack Miller dan Francesco Bagnaia bagi musim 2021 bermula dengan siri ujian pra-musim di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang, Februari ini.
Pasukan Ducati MotoGP telah mengumumkan Francesco Bagnaia sebagai pelumba baharu bagi musim 2021.
Dia bakal digandingkan semula dengan pasangan sama di Pramac Racing musim ini, Jack Miller yang telah pun diumumkan sebagai pelumba factory lebih awal.
Perancangan awal Ducati adalah menggabungkan Miller dan pelumba tonggak, Andrea Dovizioso musim depan namun Dovizioso membuat keputusan untuk berpindah selepas lapan tahun bersama.
Keputusan mengejut itu sekaligus membuka peluang kepada beberapa pelumba termasuk Johann Zarco sebelum Bagnaia disahkan sebagai taruhan baharu 2021.
Bagnaia merupakan juara di Moto2 pada 2018 dan salah seorang protege akademi VR46 di samping Franco Morbidelli.
Sementara itu, keputusan Ducati dengan mempertaruhkan Miller dan Bagnaia bagi musim 2021 menandakan langkah baharu diambil pasukan itu yang sebelum ini lebih gemar menaruh kepercayaan kepada pelumba berpengalaman antaranya Jorge Lorenzo, Nicky hayden dan Valentino Rossi.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Zarco dan Jorge Martin diumumkan sebagai pelumba baharu Pramac Racing musim depan.
Pengumuman ini turut menandakan kebangkitan Zarco selepas bergelut dengan KTM sebelum ini.
Pengalaman Zarco juga dilihat mampu memberi manfaat kepada pelumba muda dan juara dunia Moto3 2018, Martin yang kini dalam musim keduanya di Moto2.
The world of MotoGP is all about the very best of performance and innovation. This is why Ducati Team has signed a new multi-year technical partnership with tech expert, Altair. The global tech firm specialises in product development, high-performance computing (HPC), and data analytics which will help greatly in Ducati’s racing division, Ducati Corse. (more…)
Shell and Ducati are two brands symbiotic with each other.
Time flies and it’s been 21 years of collaboration between the petroleum giant and maker of exotic motorcycles. To celebrate that union, Shell and Ducati announced the renewal of their technical partnership, on the eve of the 2019 Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix.
The partnership began in 1999 during Ducati’s age of dominance in the World Superbike Championship. Since then, they have celebrated championship titles together. Shell followed Ducati when the manufacturer ventured into MotoGP in 2003.
The technical partnership extends beyond the racetrack. Each motorcycle that leaves the Ducati factory at Borgo Panigale in Bologna, Italy is filled with Shell V-Power petrol and Shell Advance engine oil. As such, Ducati recommends Shell fuels and Shell Advance engine oils to Ducati owners.
Back on the track, the awesomely powerful (the most powerful MotoGP bike, in fact) Desmosedici GP uses Shell Advance engine oil. Shell then introduced the new Shell Advance with PurePlus Technology to the bikes four years ago.
MotoGP organisers limit fewer and fewer engines year after year, in an effort to cut down on spending to encourage more teams to join. The effect of this ruling is that manufacturers must make their engines more reliable. Using more engines than the allocated units will result in penalties, which no team regardless of position needs.
Releasing the full potential of the fierce Desmosedici GP’s engine is one thing, but the engine oil must also play an essential and critical role of ensuring reliability. How many times have we seen Ducati MotoGP bikes break down due to engine trouble? Virtually none.
The partnership has secured more than 200 wins in both WorldSBK and MotoGP and they will continue to win more.
The Winnows Ducati MotoGP team took over a Shell station for their meet and greet the fans session.
Shell is the sponsor and technical partner to the Winnows Ducati MotoGP team, so it was appropriate that a meet and greet session with Ducati fans and Shell consumers at a Shell petrol station. One fuel pump island was fully dressed in Ducati branding.
Customers who were driving out of the station couldn’t help slowing down and snapping quick shots of the riders from their cars.
Factory Ducati riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci attended the event. They spoke about Shell’s role in helping them to attain great results in MotoGP. They also answered a number of questions fielded by the contingent of Ducati owners. A few owners showed up on rare Ducatis including a 999R and the new Panigale V4 R super-superbike.
The riders then proceeded to sign autographs for the fans. The Ducati riders had the items they needed to be autographed at the ready including helmets, caps, t-shirts and even their motorcycles. Some Shell station customers also took the opportunity to obtain autographs.
The aforementioned Ducati Panigale V4 R rider was elated to have Andrea Dovizioso autograph his bike’s fuel tank.
All the excitement is part of the build up to the 2019 Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, from 1st to 3rd November 2019.
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