The MotoGP™ World Championship is getting faster and faster as factories keep finding those extra few km/h and last season at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, Andrea Dovizioso’s speed of 356.5km/h during the race was a milestone in motorcycle racing history. But can it be topped this season?
After the race in 2018, Dovi declared “it always makes you dream and it’s special to reach such great numbers.” The bikes in 2019 are that ever so slightly quicker again and as we’ve arrived at the place where high-speed MotoGP™ records are broken, we may well see Dovi’s record taken away from him.
The second fastest speed in history was Desmo Dovi's Ducati teammate Danilo Petruci, with Petrux firing through the speed trap on his Pramac Ducati in last year's race at 355.8km/h. Test rider Michele Pirro clocked 355.2km/h in last year's second free practice session at Mugello to be the third fastest man in premier class history, before Andrea Iannone, from 2016, and Pirro again, from 2017, round of the top five with 354.9km/h and 354.7km/h.
However, the riders are predicting top speeds to be even quicker in 2019, so keep your eyes peeled on the speed traps to see if we can witness a MotoGP™ machine rising over the crest of the famous Mugello straight at speeds we’ve never seen before.
Mugello is all about SPEED! ????
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) May 30, 2019
346km/h on the straight! The fastest straight on the #MotoGP calendar! ✊#ThrowbackThursday | #ItalianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/M3E8MiR98H
Alex Rins’ (Team Suzuki Ecstar) 350km/h was the fastest in FP1…
Top five:
1. Andrea Dovizioso (2018; Ducati) - 356.5km/h
2. Danilo Petrucci (2018; Ducati) - 355.8km/h
3. Michele Pirro (2018; Ducati) - 355.2km/h
4. Andrea Iannone (2016; Ducati) - 354.9km/h
5. Michele Pirro (2017; Ducati) - 354.7km/h