​​​​​​​The Ducati Lenovo Team is ready to hit the track in Portimão, Portugal, for the opening Grand Prix of the 2023 MotoGP season

The Ducati Lenovo Team is ready to officially kick off the new MotoGP season. From 24th-26th March, the Bologna-based squad will be at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal, to contest the first of 21 Grands Prix scheduled on the calendar this year.

Stage a few weeks ago of the last preseason test, the Portuguese track will host the opening round of the World Championship for the first time and will also be the circuit on which the MotoGP riders will face their first sprint race. Starting this year, the program of each event will be enriched by an additional race on Saturday, which will award about half the points and have a shorter distance compared to Sunday's primary race. In addition to the sprint race, riders will also have to face two new tracks this year: Kazakhstan in July and India, which will host the World Championship in September.

Reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia is ready to tackle the new season to defend the number 1 on the front fairing of his Desmosedici GP. The rider from Chivasso was a great protagonist of the last test in Portimão, as he finished on top with a fastest time 757 thousandths faster than the current circuit record. Enea Bastianiani is also ready to make his debut as an official Ducati Lenovo Team rider, off the back of the good feelings he had with his Desmosedici GP during the last preseason test.

Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team)
"Finally, we are starting again, and I am really excited! The winter tests went well, and in some aspects, I like the Desmosedici GP 23 better than last year's bike. There are all the conditions to be able to start this new season well: Portimão is a track that I like and where in general, I am fast. In any case, we have to stay focused because the competitiveness will definitely be very high. We will have to work at our best right from the start: this will be the first GP in which we will contest the sprint race, so we will have to get used to approaching the weekend in a different way. I'm ready and looking forward to getting on track to kick off the 2023 World Championship officially!"

Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team)
"I am happy to finally be back on track for the first GP of the season. It will be my first race as an official rider, and so it will be even more exciting. The last test here in Portimão went well, and we already have a good base to start our weekend's work. Many riders have shown that they are competitive, so we will also have to be among the frontrunners right away, but I am confident that we have all the means to do so. I can't wait to get back to work with my team!"  

The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track for the first free practice session of the Portuguese GP on Friday, 24th March, at 10:45am local time (CET -1.00).

Circuit Information
Country: Portugal
Name: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Best lap: Quartararo (Yamaha) 1:39.435 (166.2 km/h) – 2022
Circuit Record: Bagnaia (Ducati), 1:38.725 (167,4 km/h) – 2021
Top Speed: Dovizioso (Ducati), 351,7 km/h – 2020
Track Length: 4.6 km
Sprint Race Distance: 12 laps (55. km)
Race Distance: 25 laps (114.8 km)
Corners: 15 (6 left, 9 right)

2022 Results
Podium: 1° Quartararo (Yamaha); 2° Zarco (Ducati), 3° A. Espargaro (Aprilia)
Pole Position: Zarco (Ducati) 1:42.003 (162 km/h)
Fastest lap: Quartararo (Yamaha) 1:39.435 (166.2 km/h)

Francesco Bagnaia
Bike: Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 1
GP Starts: 172 (67 x MotoGP, 36 x Moto2, 69 x Moto3)
First GP: Qatar 2019 (MotoGP), Qatar 2017 (Moto2), Qatar 2013 (Moto3)
Wins: 21 (11 MotoGP + 8 Moto2 + 2 Moto3)
First GP Win: Aragón 2021 (MotoGP), Qatar 2018 (Moto2), Netherlands 2016 (Moto3)
Pole position: 18 (11 MotoGP + 6 Moto2 + 1 Moto3)
First pole: Qatar 2021 (MotoGP), France 2018 (Moto2), Britain 2016 (Moto3)
World Titles: 2 (MotoGP 2022, Moto2 2018)

Enea Bastianini
Bike: Desmosedici GP
Race Number: 23
GP Starts: 159 (38 x MotoGP, 33 x Moto2, 88 x Moto3)
First GP: Qatar 2021 (MotoGP), Qatar 2019 (Moto2), Qatar 2014 (Moto3)
Wins: 10 (4 MotoGP + 3 Moto2 + 3 Moto3)
First GP Win: Qatar 2022 (MotoGP), Andalucía 2020 (Moto2), San Marino 2015 (Moto3)
Pole position: 10 (1 MotoGP + 9 Moto3)
First pole: Austria 2022 (MotoGP), Catalunya 2015 (Moto3)
World Titles: 1 (Moto2 2020)