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The three days in Sepang, the first field of comparison for the teams at the start of the 2024 MotoGP championship, saw Ducati finish at the top with a record-breaking 1m56.682s set by Pecco Bagnaia and six bikes placed in the top seven places on the timesheets. These two results alone should discourage the competition and make Borgo Panigale sleep soundly, yet for Enea Bastianini it would be a serious mistake to consider the World Championship already over and done with before it even begins, despite the knowledge that he can count on a competitive bike.
"At one lap in the dry we seem to have been very effective but in race pace even the GP23s are close – was his analysis as reported by Motorsport.com – However, we know that the Ducati always makes the difference when it comes to time attack, so we will also have to see how the others perform. It's still too early to say it will be a Ducati-only championship, but we've certainly taken a small step with the new bike, and in Qatar we'll still have something to prove, even if the new aerodynamics are approved.”
Third quickest on the last day available in Malaysia, the factory team rider admitted that he immediately felt comfortable on the new version.
"It's a bit different, and I like it better than the one on the GP23, because it's more similar to the one on the 2021 bike. I'm happy with this bike, but we can still work on the engine braking to make a step forward – he maintained – Obviously I came here hoping to confirm the feelings I had had in Valencia, and the confirmation has come. It is clear that we have to wait to go to other circuits, but the bike works, and I feel good with the team, so things are easier than last year."
Monday and Tuesday of next week at Losail will be an opportunity to further refine the potential of the Borgo Panigale bike while awaiting the start of the season on the same track on March 10th.
"I think we can go better everywhere, because although the difference with the GP23 is not too big, in the end the performance is better in practically every corner – he said – But above all it's the feeling on the bike that is better than with the GP23, although it's something very subjective, because for example if you ask Jorge Martin he doesn't like it, but the other Ducati riders feel good. It depends a lot on the riding style.”
