The day that Pecco Bagnaia was proclaimed world champion in the last round of last year in Valencia, a 2023 preseason began that has been tinged with red. In total, there have been six days of training at three very different circuits (Valencia, Sepang and Portimao) with a common denominator: he has always finished a Ducati at the top of the time table.
Until now, secondary actors such as Luca Marini, Marco Bezzecchi or Jorge Martín had led the different classifications. But in the last two days in Portugal the champion has been intractable, especially at the end of the preseason. Before his last outing on the track, Bagnaia was already leading the time table, but he wanted to end the day with an exhibition and in the final minutes of the session he stopped the clock at 1’37.968. No one had ever dropped below 1’38 on two wheels on the Portuguese track, destroying the circuit record that was also in his possession.
Bagnaia led the Frenchman Johann Zarco by three tenths, an enormous amount, and was the headliner in the umpteenth Ducati exhibition this preseason. Seven of the first eight positions corresponded to Italian bikes. And because there was no more on this last day, since Fabio Di Giannantonio was unable to go out on track after suffering a concussion caused by a hard fall on the first day in Portimao. In case there were any doubts, Ducati in general and Bagnaia in particular, start as favorites at the start of the championship; and the best Spanish assets will be two of the members of the red army: Álex Márquez and Jorge Martín, seventh and eighth, respectively, on the last day of the preseason.
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The intruder in Portimao was Fabio Quartararo, who slipped in third. The Frenchman, who had not been seen in front all winter, arrived just in time for the start of the 2023 course and at Yamaha they trust everything to the talent of his star. The ones that weren’t so brilliant in this preseason closing were the Aprilias. If until now they had stood up to the Ducati, Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales finished 10th and 12th, respectively, although in terms of pace they did show a lap after lap at the level of the best.
“We are not where we want to be”
At Honda they are already beginning to assume the current situation. Its three best riders practically matched their time (Joan Mir 13th, Marc Márquez 14th and Álex Rins 15th), eight tenths off Bagnaia’s record. After hard work at the factory during the winter break, the bike hasn’t made the leap expected in pre-season, and they’re at the same point they were four months ago. In fact, the new 2023 frame is not very different from the one that finished last year and with these wickers it will be very difficult to aspire to reconquer the MotoGP crown that they have not won since 2019.
As soon as he got off the bike, Márquez admitted some problems that are more than evident: «Obviously we are not where we want to be, but now you do not gain anything by doing bad blood. You have to try to get the most out of the situation you have and anything can happen, but we started the season with enthusiasm and desire.” And when asked about the first race of the year, his prognosis was not very hopeful. “We would be from fifth to tenth…closer to eighth or ninth.” A jug of cold water for the Cervera pilot, whose only consolation is that the arm injury is already forgotten and his physical appearance should not condition his year.
Thus concluded a 2023 preseason that has had Ducati as an absolute benchmark and where aerodynamics is becoming more and more present on motorcycles, in the form of wings and spoilers. The next time the MotoGP engines start it will be within the framework of the first Grand Prix of the year in Portugal, where the sprint race format on Saturdays in the premier class will be released and with the long race of the three categories on Sunday March 26.