The Ducati Lenovo Team returns to Spain to tackle the eleventh round of the 2023 MotoGP season, the Monster Energy GP of Catalunya at Montmeló
The Ducati Lenovo Team returns to the track this weekend to tackle the eleventh round of the 2023 MotoGP season, the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalunya.
The Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya, which has been on the calendar since 1992, is a special destination for Ducati, which scored its first MotoGP victory with Loris Capirossi and the Desmosedici GP3 here in 2003, exactly 20 years ago.
Fresh off the back of a perfect weekend in Austria, which saw him take pole and victory in both the Sprint and Sunday’s GP, Francesco Bagnaia arrives in Spain confident to be able to keep up with the momentum. The rider from Chivasso currently leads the overall standings with 62 points over Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing Team) and 68 over Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team).
Teammate Enea Bastianini will approach the weekend differently. The rider from Rimini, who was forced to sit out several GPs in the first part of the season due to an injury, is still looking to find the right feeling with his Desmosedici GP23 and will make the most of the upcoming weekend to confirm the improvements already seen during the Austrian GP.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (251 points)
“I am happy to be back racing at Montmeló. Last year, we could have had a good race, but I was involved in a crash in the first corner and then forced to retire. After the perfect weekend in Austria, we have all the conditions to do well here as well: the feeling with the bike is great, and my team is working well; they always give me what I ask for and put me in a position to be competitive. Let’s see how the weather will be, but in any case, we are ready to face the weekend in any condition.”
Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 18th (24 points)
“I arrive at Montmeló without too many expectations. Now, the priority is to be able to fix the bike to be competitive again. The last weekend at the Red Bull Ring allowed us to gather more information that we will definitely use to get back on track on Friday. I still need time, but I know the potential is there. I am calm and ready to face the weekend in Barcelona.”
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track for the first free practice on Friday at 10:45am local time, while on Saturday at 3pm, the sprint will get underway on a 12-lap distance. The Monster Energy GP of Catalunya will be held on a 24-lap distance on Sunday, 3rd September, at 2pm CEST.
Circuit Information
Country: Spain
Name: Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya
Best lap: Zarco (Ducati), 1:39.939 (167,7 km/h) – 2021
Circuit Record: A. Espargaro (Aprilia), 1:38.742 (169,7 km/h) – 2022
Top Speed: Miller (Ducati), 355,2 km/h – 2021
Track Length: 4,66 km
Sprint Distance: 12 laps (55,2 km)
Race Distance: 24 laps (111,1 km)
Corners: 14 (6 left, 8 right)
2022 Results
Podium: 1° Quartararo (Yamaha); 2° Martín (Ducati), 3° Zarco (Ducati)
Pole Position: A. Espargaro (Aprilia), 1:38.742 (169,7 km/h)
Fastest Lap: Quartararo (Yamaha), 1:40.186 (167,3 km/h)
Rider Information
Francesco Bagnaia
Bike: Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 1
GP Starts: 182 (77 x MotoGP, 36 x Moto2, 69 x Moto3)
First GP: Qatar 2019 (MotoGP), Qatar 2017 (Moto2), Qatar 2013 (Moto3)
Wins: 26 (16 MotoGP + 8 Moto2 + 2 Moto3)
Sprint Wins: 4
First GP Win: Aragón 2021 (MotoGP), Qatar 2018 (Moto2), Netherlands 2016 (Moto3)
Pole position: 23 (16 MotoGP + 6 Moto2 + 1 Moto3)
First pole: Qatar 2021 (MotoGP), France 2018 (Moto2), Britain 2016 (Moto3)
World Titles: 2 (MotoGP 2022, Moto2 2018)
Enea Bastianini
Bike: Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 23
GP Starts: 164 (43 x MotoGP, 33 x Moto2, 88 x Moto3)
First GP: Qatar 2021 (MotoGP), Qatar 2019 (Moto2), Qatar 2014 (Moto3)
Wins: 10 (4 MotoGP + 3 Moto2 + 3 Moto3)
First GP Win: Qatar 2022 (MotoGP), Andalucía 2020 (Moto2), San Marino 2015 (Moto3)
Pole position: 10 (1 MotoGP + 9 Moto3)
First pole: Austria 2022 (MotoGP), Catalunya 2015 (Moto3)
World Titles: 1 (Moto2 2020)
Championship Information
Riders’ Standings
Francesco Bagnaia (#1 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1º (251 points)
Enea Bastianini (#23 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 18° (24 points)
Constructors’ Standings
Ducati – 1º (354 points)
Teams’ Standings
Ducati Lenovo Team – 3º (285 points)
