The Catalan Grand Prix came down to a few seconds for Francesco Bagnaia, mowed down in the first corner by Takaaki Nakagami!
But a few seconds were enough to notice that during the start, the Ducati rider had been overtaken neither more nor less by fabio quartararo acceleration, a spectacle unthinkable two years ago but which is being repeated more and more often this year.
So, has the Ducati lost its advantage in this area? Yes, since its opponents also use Front Height Device and Rear Height Device at the start, that is to say at the moment when Anti Wheelie and Traction Control seriously limit the torque delivered by the engine, may it be reputed powerful or not.
It is therefore not surprising that Francesco Bagnaia worked particularly hard in this area on Monday, during the MotoGP test on the Catalunya–Barcelona circuit, even if he also tested a new aerodynamic package consisting mainly of a fairing which goes further back at the level of the bracelets, as evidenced by the fins which are no longer flush with its edge at this point.
He finished this day of testing just 4 thousandths behind Fabio Quartararo.
The Italian driver was one of the first to take to the track on his Desmosedici GP22. Leaving the box a few minutes after the opening of the pit lane, the Italian driver completed a total of 84 laps, achieving the second best time in 1'39.451, just four thousandths from the best time of the day, achieved by Fabio Quartararo.
Francis Bagnaia (#63, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:39.451 (2nd – 84 laps):
« It was a positive day. I did a lot of laps with used tires and several tests, most of which were positive. We mainly focused on the starting tests because lately, compared to our rivals, we have lost something in this area. We were able to take a few steps forward, so I am happy and satisfied with today's work. »
Test result on the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit:
Credit ranking: MotoGP.com
