A new MotoGP season will get underway in a couple of weeks but first the riders face two days of testing at Portimao, on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March. The factory Ducati riders will take to the track with their Desmosedici GP machines as they continue to prepare for a new championship in which they are tasked with defending all three titles - rider, team and constructor - achieved in 2022.

Bagnaia on his Ducati: "We are close to being 100%"

Current world champion Francesco Bagnaia admits: “We are now very close to the first race of the season, and so this test will be crucial. In Sepang, we managed to do a good job and bring the new bike to the same level as last year's”. Now it’s all about working on the details: “We are very close to being 100%, and I am sure we will be able to complete our work here”.

But there is also another important factor to consider: “Portimão is a very different track from Sepang, and, of course, so are the weather conditions. So it will be crucial to try the different fairings tested in Malaysia again to have more data to analyze before making a final decision".

And then there is the new format: “We will also have to work on the race weekend, especially the sprint race. It will be two intense days, but I am ready and excited to return to work."

Bastianini impatient to represent Ducati on track

Enea Bastianini prepares to debut in these new colours and states: “I am happy to get back on track this weekend and return to work to prepare for the new season. We are now practically two weeks away from the first race, and I can't wait!” Hard work awaits though: “Although we completed a good part of our program in Sepang, two very intense days await us here. It will be important to repeat some of the tests we did in Malaysia to have different data to compare”.

The fact that this same track will host the first GP is another aspect to consider: “We will need to start working on fine-tuning the bike for the race and simulate a sprint race to understand how we will have to approach this year. We hope to find good weather on both days."