On February 5, MotoGP will open its 2022 financial year with highly anticipated pre-season tests at Sepang. The fault of the Ducati factory which dominated the last campaign so much that it appears to be the scarecrow of the next year. The competition even fears losing their pants and seeing their pilots rush towards Borgo Panigale in the hope of getting a position there. The Italians drink whey after years of drinking the chalice down to the dregs and are increasing the pressure by promising yet another great vintage in this vintage. Here is an update on the situation of those who put their opponents in the red…
To understand the crisis in which the five other brands involved in MotoGP find themselves facing the sixth, i.e. Ducati, we must remember the figures for 2021. These designate the GP21 as the best motorcycle on the grid. The manufacturers' title would be enough to prove it, but other figures show to what extent the Desmosedici was a reference for everyone last season. To understand how fast a motorcycle is, it is said that you should not look at the results of your best rider, but at the second, in this sense in Borgo Panigale you are spoiled for choice...
In 2021, Ducati has won 7 victories, more than a third of the total, but above all it placed 3 different drivers on the highest step of the podium: Bagnaia, Martin et Miller. Looking at the 24 podiums acquired on the 54 available, it gets even better, with 5 different runners, out of 6 in total, reaching the goal. To the first 3 are added zarco et bastianini, the latter with an updated 2019 version, a sign that the Desmosedici is a benchmark for the category. Even on the flying lap, the Borgo Panigale missile made the difference with 11 pole positions out of 18 and 3 different drivers capable of setting off from the first cone. If we then look at the front rows, all the drivers started from this position at least once.
Ducati et Sepang : “nos ingénieurs parviennent toujours à sortir de grandes choses de leur chapeau"
And what does 2022 have in store for us? A corner of the veil was lifted during the offseason tests at Jerez and it's quite exciting for fans of the brand. For the sequel to Sepang, in less than a month, Paolo Ciabatti said : " after engine development was frozen for two years and the fact that we therefore have to run with the same engine specifications in 2020 and 2021, most manufacturers are certainly considering further developments in the engine field “, declared the sporting director of Ducati, adding on Motorsport-total : " This also applies to us ».
« Everything we learned during this successful 2021 season, we will of course take it to heart for the new season ». Ciabatta also don't forget to talk about the expected progress in terms of aerodynamics and other areas. Ducati has been a pioneer for years, particularly in terms of aerodynamics. What Bologna will offer for 2022 remains to be seen. Ciabatta puts it this way: “ if you already have a very competitive bike, of course it is difficult to improve it. Normally, however, our engineers always manage to pull great things out of their hat, so that the bike, year after year, gets one step better. ". Meanwhile, the others run to catch up Ducati.
