“It’s Almost Half The Grid”
MotoGP racer Joan Mir is taking a gander at the 2022 season lineup for the track with a focus on the balance of brands set to lean into the twisties – and he’s pointed out a fact that’s a fast-becoming reality for the MotoGP circuit.
The coming season will show off a hefty range of red; eight Ducati motorcycles are set in total, with Gresini Racing introduced to the fold alongside Rossi’s VR46 Team. This is in addition to Ducati’s Corse and Pramac Teams, both of which have two bikes each.
Source: MotoGP
The end result? A hell of a lot of red to be seen on the track – and Mir, a Spaniard who rides for the Suzuki MotoGP team (the same that snatched the 2020 trophy) has an eye out for the season, with the main concern being numbers.
Source: Wikipedia
“When I see the potential of these bikes, as a rider I think it’s not fair. Eight bikes aren’t half the grid, [but] it’s almost. Even more so if we think that there are six factories competing, I think it is quite anomalous,” he admits in a report from MotorcycleSports.
The Ducati machines are good, too – good enough to keep things hot and heavy for everybody when push comes to shove on the straightaway, and Mir is anticipating a hefty battle ahead of him.
Source: VisorDown
“…qualifying will be even more critical for us. Not only will it be more difficult to win a race, it will also be more difficult to get to Q2,” he explains.
“And as for overtaking, [Ducati] was the worst last year. When trying to overtake a Ducati, my front tire sometimes got hot.”
Source: MotoGP
At this point, we’re getting the distinct vibe that Ducati aims to dominate the racing space – and with Team Red landing a 2023 contract as the official electric motorcycle supplier for next year’s motoE, we’re anticipating a year bristling with bike updates, unveilings and launches from the Italian motorcycle manufacturer.
Source: ASN Motorsports
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