It will be the Circuit Ricardo Tormo of Cheste (Valencia, Spain) to host the final act of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, and once again, this year, the fate of the World Title will be decided here.
In Valencia last year, Pecco Bagnaia was crowned MotoGP World Champion for the first time, becoming the first Italian rider on an Italian bike to reach this milestone in the category. The reigning World Champion arrives in Valencia this year with a 21-point advantage over fellow Ducati rider and rival in the title fight Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing Team), thanks to his second place last week at the Qatar GP.
Teammate Enea Bastianini, who was the protagonist of an excellent race in Qatar which saw him recover from fifteenth on the grid to eighth under the chequered flag and also set the fastest lap on the last lap, arrives in Valencia determined to do well and score another significant result after winning the Malaysian GP in Sepang only a fortnight ago.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (437 points)
“After the Qatar GP, we arrive in Valencia with a 21-point lead over Jorge. They definitely give us a bit more breathing space, but they are still not enough to relax completely. Valencia is a track where we have been fast in the past and where we have the potential to do well. Our approach to the weekend will not change compared to the other races. The goal will always be the same: to work well from the first session on Friday and try to fight for the win in the race. I am calm and looking forward to getting on track for this season’s last act”.
Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 15th (84 points)
“We have reached the last race of the season. It’s been a really complicated year for us, and I’d like to close it out in the best possible way. Last weekend in Qatar, we took a long time to find our speed: on Friday, we were out of Q2 because of the yellow flags, and on Saturday morning, I was held up in Q1 by another rider, but in any case, I didn’t have the same pace as the others. Then, on Sunday, in the second half of the race, my feeling changed, and I was able to have a competitive pace. The team is working these days to understand why, and in Valencia, we’ll try to be fast already from Friday’s free practice”.
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track for the first free practice session on Friday, 24th November, at 10:45am. The Sprint race (13 laps) and the Valencia GP (27 laps) will be held on Saturday, 25th and Sunday, 26th November at 3:00pm local time, respectively.
- From Ducati Media House
