TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
Learning from its mistakes of 2022 , Ducati engineers opted against radical changes to a bike that ended its 15-year wait for the MotoGP title . Factory riders Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini , as well as Pramac ’ s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco , were relieved to find the GP23 is a small evolution on last year ’ s model . Development work was split across the four men , with a new engine deemed a success from the off . Martin said he was “ ready to race ” on just the second day of testing at Sepang . Plus , he could make fast lap times when riding “ smoothly . I don ' t have to be aggressive to be fast .” Otherwise , Ducati are still the pick of the class . Even riders from Mooney VR46 and Gresini Ducati , riding year old GP22s , look capable of getting in on the act . It locked out the first five places at the German GP , the first time a single manufacturer has managed this feat since 2003 . And reacting to the KTM ’ s excellent starts since Jerez , the riders using the GP23 have been riding with a new start device system since Austria . With three riders fighting for the championship , it ’ s in a ridiculous position of strength .
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