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Pramac Racing rider Jorge Martin showcased his all-new Alpinestars helmet ahead of the 2023 MotoGP season after making the switch from Shark Helmets.

  • Ducati’s Jorge Maritn has ditched his Shark Race R-Pro GP helmets for a brand-new Alpinestars lid. 
  • Alpinestars is yet to released an official announcement regarding the FIM-approved helmets. 

Although the Italian motorcycle gear company is no stranger to manufacturing motorcycle helmets, this is the first time that Alpinestars has designed and built a specific headgear for motorcycle racing. 

Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time the new helmet appeared after MotoGP retiree Andrea Dovizioso was seen testing the pre-production model last year. 

However, this is the first time the helmet has snapped in a full-finished and liveried-up version. 

Although Martin’s helmet is packed with vibrant colours and graphics, the new helmet can be seen sporting a sizeable top-mounted air inlet. There’s also a large front-mounted chin mount flanked by air exhaust fitted on each side. 

Interestingly, the side profile looks similar to Shoei’s X-Spirit III, although the brand’s new X-SPR Pro is replacing the former. 

Unfortunately, Alpinestars has yet to release the official information regarding the new helmet, but with MotoGP to kick-off soon, beginning with the Sepang Test in February, we expect the brand to make an official announcement soon. 

The tribe has spoken. 

Ducati Lenovo Team has picked 24-year-old Enea Bastianini over Jorge Martin as Francesco Bagnaia’s teammate for the 2023 MotoGP season. 

  • Bastianini will ride alongside Bagnaia on the factory Ducati machinery for the 2023 season. 
  • Bastianini replaced Jack Miller, who is on his way to KTM. 

 

That said, Martin will continue riding with team Pramac Racing alongside Johann Zarco next year.

Ducati took some time to announce Bagnaia’s new teammate for the 2023 season ever since Jack Miller was confirmed to be moving to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2023.

Although Martin was heavily linked with a move to Ducati, especially since the Spaniard kicked start the season as 2021 Rookie of the Year, Bastianini began the 2022 calendar with a blast, winning the opening act at Qatar GP followed by his second win at Le Mans. 

Just last week, the Italian rider took his first premier class pole at the Red Bull Ring but unfortunately had to retire early in the race after suffering from a puncture. 

Nevertheless, Bastianini is thrilled to partner alongside Bagnaia next season in an all-Italian lineup. 

“I am thrilled to be able to wear the colours of the official Ducati team starting next year. It was my dream, and now it has come true. 

“In these two years in MotoGP, I have learned and grown a lot, and I believe that I can only improve with the engineers and men of the Ducati Lenovo Team! 

“I want to thank Claudio, Gigi, Paolo and Davide for trusting me and giving me this incredible opportunity. Still, I also want to thank Nadia and the whole Gresini team for the great support I have received from them during this wonderful season together. 

“I will try to close out this 2022 in the best possible way before tackling my new adventure as a factory Ducati rider with total commitment and the right team spirit,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Ducati also confirmed that Martin and Johann Zarco will continue their partnership at Pramac’s ahead of the 2023 season. 

Meskipun kejuaraan dunia MotoGP baru memasuki pusingan ketujuh namun pelbagai aktiviti belakang tabir sudah mula mengambil tempat.

Pengumuman Suzuki untuk undur diri dari kejuaraan itu hujung musim ini telah mencetuskan pelbagai ketidaktentuan terutamanya membabitkan slot pelumba menjelang musim 2023.

Ketika pasukan lain sedang mengorak langkah bagi memancing Joan Mir dan Alex Rins musim depan, Ducati memberi fokus penuh terhadap pelumba sedia ada termasuk yang berada di pasukan satelit.

Terbaru, Pengarah Sukan Ducati, Paolo Ciabatti mengesahkan pihaknya enggan kehilangan dua bakat muda, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) dan Jorge Martin (Pramac).

Bercakap kepada Autosport, ini komen Ciabatti mengenai status kedua-dua pelumba muda itu.

“Saya sering berkata kami mahu mengikat Jorge (Martin) dan Enea (Bastianini).

“Ketika ini Jorge sedang bergelut tetapi dia sudah pun membuktikan kemampuan sementara Enea sedang mencabar kejuaraan dunia. Sementara itu, Johann (Zarco) sedang menunggang dengan cemerlang namun kurang sengat untuk menaiki podium,” jelasnya.

Martin dan Bastianini disebut-sebut sebagai calon utama untuk menggantikan Jack Miller di pasukan factory.

Bagaimanapun, pelumba tonggak, Francesco Bagnaia mengharapkan Miller terus kekal sebagai rakan sepasukan ekoran sudah mempunyai persefahaman baik dengan pelumba Australia itu.

Jorge Martin produced a brilliant display on Saturday to take back-to-back pole at MotoGP season opener in Lusail Circuit, Qatar.

The Pramac Racing rider clocked the fastest time with 1 minute 53.011s ahead of Enea Bastianini (1m53.158s) and six-time MotoGP world champion, Marc Marquez (1m53.283s).

‘I’m happy. In general the weekend was not so bad.

“It’s been difficult to be consistent because we have been trying many set-ups, different mappings, but anyway, I think the pace is not bad.

“We will be one of the candidates for tomorrow, but I think we need something else to fight for the victory.

“Also the tyre choice will be crucial. Both the soft and medium are working well, but they are different and it’s something we need to understand.

“But I’m happy with this pole position and to make back-to-back poles here,” said the 24-year-old.

Riding on board the Ducati GP22, Martin was in full control, showing immense speed at the start of Q2.

Fellow Ducati rider, Bastianini who rode the GP21 – same machine used by Francesco Bagnaia last season – also displayed amazing run take P2.

Meanwhile, Marquez – despite not back to full fitness – clocked 1m53 in his frst Q2 run to take pole before he was pushed back by the rest and later improved his time again to settle at P3.

Despite came out as the fastest Yamaha rider on the grid, last season champion Fabio Quartararo will need to begin his title defence at P11.

The Frenchman endured a struggling session on Saturday after failing to secure a top 10 finished in Free Practice 3 and had to fight his way to Q2 via Q1.

Ducati is set to feature eight machines in 2022 MotoGP after securing VR46 and Gresini Racing at the end of last season.

The Italian marquee will go all out after missing out on the 2021 World Championship title as Francesco Bagnaia slipped behind eventual winner, Fabio Quartararo with just a 26 points gap.

Despite the disappointment, Ducati was one of the dominant forces last season, as five out of their six riders managed to secure a podium finish.

Nevertheless, MotoGP manager, Carlo Pernat suggest that two of the riders could be on their way out at the end of the 2022 season.

“Jack Miller and Johann Zarco will, if there are no surprises, be in the riders’ market, I would say with 99.9% certainty.

“Jack is a good bet, but he comes from a lot of ups and downs.

“Yamaha, on the other hand, is the best-positioned factory as it has three strong riders: Quartararo, Morbidelli and Toprak,” said Pernat.

Moreover, Miller and Zarco will enter their final year contract with Ducati whereas Bagnaia has already secured a place with the team considering he is the main bet for the title in 2022.

Considering how well Jorge Martin did in his rookie season with Pramac, Ducati might reward him the factory seat in 2023.

Martin already told what his wishes are for the 2023 season, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport; “My goal is to be world champion at Ducati and for that, I have to join the factory team. We hope to be on that team in 2023.”

Pramac Ducati has formally announced Claudio Calabresi as the new team manager, taking over from Francesco Guidotti.

Guidotti shocking move to KTM has open the door for Pramac Ducati to hired Calabresi as his replacement and promoted former GP winner, Fonsi Neito from Rider Coach to Sports Director.

*Claudio Calabresi

Pramac was quick to established themselves as a title challenging satellite team with the likes of Jorge Martin tand Johann Zarco.

Zarco briefly led the world championship before finishing the 2021 season at fifth overall.

Zarcon and Martin combination also contributed to a total of eight podiums and five pole positions.

Speaking to the press, Pramac boss, Paolo Campinoti praised the arrival of Calabresi who has also been Pramac MotoE’s team manager since the start.

“Claudio’s growth within our team is the testimony of the esteem and confidence I have in him, and I am convinced that after three seasons as Team Manager in MotoE he will be up to this new and important challenge.

“We can’t wait to start this new adventure together, certain that Pramac Racing will be one of the top teams in the MotoGP and that next season will bring great satisfaction. The close collaboration with Fonsi will also guarantee us solid skills and experience from a sporting point of view,” he said.

Meanwhile, Calabresi expressed his desire to help the team ahead of the 2022 season.

“Now a new chapter opens for me, where curiosity, passion and experience will be at full disposal of the team, with the greatest commitment to remain one of the most competitive teams in MotoGP,” he added.

Pramac will continue to field Zarco and Martin ahead of the upcoming season starting with Sepang test in February.

  • Automobili Lamborghini telah menjadi penaja utama bagi pasukan Pramac Ducati.
  • Mereka telah menggantikan Alma sebagai penaja utama.
  • Kakitangan dan penunggang pasukan berkenaan akan dapat menggunakan Lamborghini sewaktu pusingan MotoGP di Texas pada hujung minggu ini.

(more…)

  • Pramac Ducati gets Automobili Lamborghini as their title sponsor.

  • The move follows the departure of Alma.

  • The riders and team staff get to use Lamborghinis over the MotoGP weekend in Texas.

Alma may be no more, but Pramac Ducati now has a new title sponsor with Automobili Lamborghini stepping in. The announcement was made ahead of this weekend’s MotoGP round at Austin, Texas.

Alma’s name and livery was removed in Argentina due to the tax allegations against the company.

The team members ought to enjoy the fruits of the sponsorship, too. Riders Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia will each receive a Huracán, while the team staff gets to use three Urus SUVs in America. All the vehicles will be personalized with Pramac Racing’s logos.

“Running a Grand Prix as important as the United States, with the Lamborghini logo next to the Pramac one on our fairing, is a source of great satisfaction for us,” said team principal Paolo Campinoti.

“We are proud to have Automobili Lamborghini as title sponsor of the Grand Prix of the Americas and this underlines that the relationship between Lamborghini and Pramac goes beyond the feeling of deep friendship that binds me to Stefano Domenicali”

Stefano Domenicali (not related to Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali), Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, added: “What better occasion than the Austin GP to confirm the important collaboration between Automobili Lamborghini and Pramac Racing.”

Pramac and Lamborghini have previously collaborated on a team launch at the Manifattura Lamborghini, a special livery for the 2018 Italian Grand Prix and the livery for the 2019 season designed by Mitja Borkert, director of the Lamborghini Centro Stile.

The famed sportscar marque had a stillborn motorcycle project before, but don’t worry, it’s just sponsorship and not their own bikes.

Second MotoGP pre-season testing concludes in Sepang with Marc Márquez on top of time sheets.

(more…)

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