The Italian manufacturer is the only one of the six present on the current MotoGP grid who supplies bikes to two satellite squads on top of its factory effort. Long-time partner Pramac receives full factory support from Ducati, with both current championship leader Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin running identical machinery to works team duo Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia. Ducati also supplies two-year-old bikes to Avintia, with all Ducati riders contracted directly to the Italian manufacturer. Speaking to the language version of Motorsport.com, Paolo Ciabatti says the aim is to continue fielding six bikes in 2022. "In our case, the idea is to continue in the coming years with six bikes, i.e. with a second independent team," Ducati's sporting director said. "It is a system that we are very comfortable with. It is also a way of being able to keep some riders who we believe have earned the right to be in MotoGP." Read Also: Podcast: How will Marquez fare … [Read more...] about Ducati wants to keep its six MotoGP bikes for 2022
Beechdean aston martin racing
Ducati, encantada de su apuesta por Zarco “cuando nadie le quería”
Tras sus dos primeras temporadas en la categoría de las motos pesadas, en 2017 y 2018, con una Yamaha del equipo Tech3, Zarco firmó con KTM el contrato más importante de su vida hasta ese momento. Pero aquello que a primera vista parecía la lanzadera definitiva para el francés a punto estuvo de terminar con su trayectoria en MotoGP . Una vez decidió renunciar a su segundo año de contrato con el constructor austríaco, el de Niza disputó las últimas tres carreras del curso (2019) encima de una Honda, la de Takaaki Nakagami , en previsión de poder ganarse un puesto como compañero de Marc Márquez en el Repsol Honda, con vistas a 2020. Sin embargo, su rendimiento no satisfizo a los responsables de HRC, que se decantaron por Alex Márquez , y eso dejó a Zarco sin un manillar al que agarrarse. Al rescate del #5 fue Ducati con todo su arsenal ( Gigi Dall’Igna , Ciabatti etc…) para convencer al chico de que firmara con Avintia en vez de regresar a Moto2, que en ese … [Read more...] about Ducati, encantada de su apuesta por Zarco “cuando nadie le quería”
Wolff doubts Bottas came close to retirement after team orders
Mercedes sparked controversy at the 2018 Russian Grand Prix when it asked Bottas to move aside for teammate Lewis Hamilton in a bid to protect its 1-2 finish. Bottas was left visibility disappointed and unhappy by the call from Mercedes, and claimed during the most recent series of Drive to Survive on Netflix that the incident made him consider quitting F1. "That was tough, tough to accept," Bottas said. "I was pretty angry. Honestly, I was thinking, why do I do this? "I was even thinking of quitting, of giving up. Straight after the race, I said I would not do it again." But Mercedes team principal Wolff said he did not think at the time that Bottas was close to retiring from F1 altogether in the wake of the incident. "No, he was very downhearted, of course. I understand that - but I don't think he was close to retirement," Wolff said. "Because he's too much of a competitor for that. But I can imagine, in the heat of the situation, after the race, you … [Read more...] about Wolff doubts Bottas came close to retirement after team orders
Van Gisbergen off painkillers since Sandown
The Kiwi has been nursing the injuries since a mountain bike crash last month, with an aggressive recovery process centred around hyperbaric treatment limiting the affect its had on his packed racing schedule. Remarkably he has only missed one event since the crash, the GT World Challenge Australia round at Phillip Island. Two weeks after undergoing surgery he took three wins from three Supercars races at Sandown, before heading to Mount Panorama another fortnight later to win a GT race and claim the Bathurst Triple Crown with a win in the six-hour production car race on the same weekend. Giving an update ahead of this weekend's third Supercars round of the season at Symmons Plains, van Gisbergen explained his collarbone is largely pain free. However the same can't be said of the broken ribs, only found after his three wins at Sandown , which continue to give him grief. Despite the pain he's resisting painkillers, to help chart his recovery without the … [Read more...] about Van Gisbergen off painkillers since Sandown
Engine tweak coming for Holden Supercars teams
Motorsport.com has learned that a change to the homologation of the KRE Race Engines-built V8s, an increase in the rocker ratio from 1.60 to 1.65, has been approved by the Supercars Commission. KRE is closely aligned with Triple Eight and provides engines for the Red Bull-backed team and its customer squads such as Team 18. Brad Jones Racing also runs KRE power across its four entries. According to a Supercars spokesperson the change will bring the KRE motors in line with the Ford units used in the Mustangs and that there is no change to the maximum power limit. "The 1.65 rocker that was made available to the Ford engine builders has also been made available to the GM engine builders," read a statement provided to Motorsport.com. "All engines must still comply with the maximum aggregate engine power, irrespective of which rocker is applied." When the updated KRE engine package will make its debut is currently unclear. Triple Eight confirmed that the change … [Read more...] about Engine tweak coming for Holden Supercars teams