Cycle News

Cycle News 2023 Issue 03 January 24

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1490735

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P44 risks. But last year taught us some breaks from development can help us," General Manager Gigi Dall'Igna, said. While the search for extra horsepower is never-ending, and a number of revised aero packages will be revealed at next month's Sepang test, this year's Desmosedici ma - chine will be an evolution of the bike which won the triple crown in 2022. As Ciabatti explained, "We had a difficult beginning in 2022. Probably some of the develop- ments that were tested in Jerez (at the end of '21) and then im- proved in a simulation before the Sepang test didn't really work in the way we expected. We had to go a bit backwards. We used this hybrid engine for the factory guys, and I think we learned our lesson that cost us time and we lost some opportunities in the first part of the season. "We're always looking for im - provements, because you never know what the competition will do. But once we reach a level of competitiveness with our bikes, we just look at small things here and there. We don't want to disrupt the whole balance we have in the bike. If we can get around three, four horsepower more, always welcome. Some other areas we're working on. The aerodynamics will have some new ideas to be tested in Sepang. But the '23 bike is basi - cally going to be an evolution of the '22 bike. If you look at the numbers—12 races won, 16 pole positions out of 20—this means don't fix something that isn't broken!" The Aruba.It Racing Ducati team riders, Alvaro Bautista and Michael Ruben Rinaldi, were on hand, as well. Bautista will also sport the number one on his bike. Within the number "1" will be a smaller script of Bautista's regular number. Immediately afterward, Bautis - ta and Rinaldi were out the door and heading to the WorldSBK test in Jerez on January 25-26. Neil Morrison Ducati's strategy with its MotoGP bikes in 2023 is to leave well enough alone. However, Bagnaia will wear the number- one plate, which is a rarity in MotoGP.

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