Ducati Lenovo Team Manager Davide Tardozzi has responded to rumours that Francesco Bagnaia wants to revert to using the 2021 Ducati engine, instead of a 2022 spec the Italian marque have been testing ahead of the Grand Prix of Qatar.
Can @PeccoBagnaia pick up where he left off at the end of last season? ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) March 4, 2022
Will we see him on top of the box on Sunday evening? ????#QatarGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/Z9KJjWC1ZH
“I don’t know why people are always speaking about Ducati, blaming and blaming and blaming. Pecco didn’t say the 2022 engine is wrong, I want the 2021 (engine),” commented Tardozzi to motogp.com pitlane reporter Simon Crafar during MotoGP™ FP1.
“This is b******* because we give to Pecco a different spec, you have the possibility to manage the engine towards the riding style of the rider, and this engine is towards the style of Pecco and Jack. The other guys were happy with a different spec, and that’s what happened. We know another company in Sepang that brought three different specs. Why doesn’t everybody go to this brand and ask ‘Which one does Marc Marquez or another rider have?’
“We are happy about the rider’s choice, I think we’ve given all the riders the best possibility. Let’s see how the season starts and in the end we’ll see what happens. It will be a tough season, a lot of competitive bikes and riders. An enjoyable Championship.”
Asked about how pre-season testing went for Ducati, Tardozzi confirmed they weren’t focusing on setting the quickest lap times. The two days in Sepang and three days in Mandalika were about developing the new bike for last year’s Team and Constructor Champions.
“I think that we did a different winter test this year. We didn’t go out to make lap times. Because there were only five days of tests, we concentrated on developing. We’ll see here in Qatar if we did the right job or not.”
Bagnaia ended FP1 in P18 after a crash at Turn 6 in the closing stages, with teammate Jack Miller P13.
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