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The Ducati rider topped final weekend’s last pre-season take a look at in Portugal with an unofficial lap report having been quickest on each days on the Algarve monitor.
This accomplished a clear sweep for Ducati in winter testing, the marque topping all 5 days in 2023 with its riders.
Ducati’s robust winter has come towards a backdrop of struggles for Honda, KTM and Yamaha, with the latter solely making a breakthrough with its 2023 bike on the final day of testing in Portugal.
Trying on the pecking order as testing got here to an in depth, Bagnaia believes Ducati and fellow Italian marque Aprilia are within the strongest place heading into the brand new marketing campaign subsequent weekend.
“I noticed that Ducati and Aprilia at this second are unbeatable,” he stated.
“They’re very aggressive. Nevertheless it’s very tough to know, as a result of sincerely it was simpler to know the checks years in the past.
“Now, wanting on the tempo, all the things, you do not know which tyres, which a part of the bike they have been testing.
“So, I do not know. However at this second it appears to be like like we have now extra benefit than final 12 months.
“It appears to be like like this, however I do not need to say something earlier than the race as a result of I already did this error [last year] and I do not need to repeat the identical mistake.”
Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing Group
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Although Ducati and Bagnaia are clear favourites for the title as the brand new season begins, Bagnaia was reticent to make any agency assertions on this matter.
However he did admit that, had the primary race of 2023 taken place immediately after testing, he’s “able to combat for the win”.
“Sincerely, I do not prefer to put [up a name as] a title contender, to say one is the favorite throughout a take a look at as a result of you do not know what the work somebody is doing – like Marc [Marquez] did not do a time assault,” he added.
“So, it is very tough to know. For positive, after this take a look at if the race will likely be [the day after] we’re able to combat for the win.
“That’s clear. However in any case, multiple rider is aggressive sufficient to combat for the highest positions.”
