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.