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MotoGP, The Red Party. Bagnaia: "I would like to win the Suzuka 8 Hours with Ducati"

Pecco and Bautista protagonists of the red night of Bologna. Dall'Igna: "a golden year, but the important thing is what you'll do, not what you've already done. We'll have to prove that we are up to it"

MotoGP: The Red Party. Bagnaia: "I would like to win the Suzuka 8 Hours with Ducati"

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"Wet champions, lucky champions", Claudio Domenicali, the big boss of Ducati, tried to play down the rain that fell on Bologna on the evening in which the "golden year" (this time the quote was from Dall' Igna) of the Rossa was celebrated. Pecco Bagnaia and Alvaro Bautista came on stage to celebrate the double MotoGP and SBK riders' titles (to which are added the constructors' and teams' titles), a feat that Borgo Panigale had never achieved before.

It's difficult to describe Ducati's 2022 without falling into rhetoric, but numbers come in handy: 70 total podiums (32 in MotoGP and 38 in SBK), 12 victories in the prototype category and 16 in the production derivatives, "but the ones that impress me the most is Ducati's 1,000 podiums in SBK and the 26 consecutive races with at least one rider on the podium in MotoGP” certifies engineer Gigi.

This time the Rossa defeated the competition, maintaining every promise and, indeed, going beyond every wildest expectation. “It's the result of work that began in 2013, in all these years we've had tenacity and perseverance, we've never given up. It may have taken us a little longer than expected, but innovation and passion have been a winning combination. It is often said that Italian companies are only creative, we have shown that we are also organised” is the recipe for success according to Domenicali.

The two jewels are at the centre of the stage: Bagnaia and Bautista. To celebrate them, Ducati presented two versions dedicated to them of the Panigale V4 R with many special parts and the replica colours of the two champions. 260 units will each be produced (homage to the year of birth of Ducati, 1926) and they will cost 63,000 euros (no need to specify why), naturally the number 63 and 19 are intended for the two world champions.

"I want to enjoy everything I've done, not think about 2023 during these holidays" sighed Pecco, who after the victory was the protagonist of a whirlwind of events. “It's been a complicated season, with lots of ups and downs - he summarized - At the start, it took us a bit of time to get the new bike to work, then I made some mistakes but, if you analyse them, they make you grow faster. I felt the support of Ducati, I spoke with the team and Domenicali, and in the end we did it, the last part of the year has been incredible".

It's not for nothing that Pecco puts the crash at the Sachsenring, the lowest point, as one of the key moments, when he found himself 91 points behind Quartararo. “That GP gave me the strength to pull out my attributes. Then I won 4 races in a row and even the mistake in Japan helped me feel more relaxed in the final races” he continued.

The Piedmont rider might not want to think about next year, but he has a dream for the future. “I'd like to try the SBK bike to race in the Suzuki 8 Hours, I've been asking that for some time and I usually get them to say yes out of exhaustion - he smiled - It would be a challenging but fascinating race, maybe there could also be Bautista and to win there would be great”.

On the home ground of the Japanese manufacturers, Ducati's natural enemy. This year he defeated them on all fronts and Bautista was another key player. “This was a very big satisfaction for me, it makes me proud – were his words - I worked on myself and with the team, I found an improved bike and we had an almost perfect season. I don't need to ask Ducati for anything, because we have the same mentality".

Now comes the difficult part: to reconfirm the success. “With age I feel the pressure, so from this point of view, being champion doesn't change anything for me. We will all start from scratch” said Alvaro.

Dall'Igna is already in 2023 mode: “this is the most important moment of the year in the racing department, the new engines are running on the bench and important decisions have to be made. But the most important thing is not what you have already done, but what you still have to do. We'll have to prove that we are up to it."

 

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