Fresh from the extraordinary WorldSBK weekend in Misano, concluded with Alvaro Bautista's third consecutive hat-trick (14th win in the first 15 races) and Michael Rinaldi's P2 finish in Saturday’s Race 1, the Aruba.it Racing team is preparing to dive back into the MotoGP adventure.
The partnership between Aruba.it and Ducati took another step forward in the 2022 season when, for the first time, the Ducati Desmosedici GP competed in the three wildcard races allowed by the MotoGP regulations, with Michele Pirro riding in the same colors and liveries used by the Panigale V4 R in WorldSBK.
The iconic Mugello circuit will kick off the Aruba.it Racing team's MotoGP 2023 campaign; the team will also be present in Misano for the San Marino Grand Prix and the Riviera di Rimini, and to a third round that will be announced shortly
Michele Pirro is ready to hit the track after already making his MotoGP season debut during the Grand Prix of the Americas (replacing the injured Enea Bastianini), where he secured a valuable 11th place.
The first free practice sessions will take place on Friday at 10:45 am, followed by the exciting new addition of the Saturday Sprint Race (starting at 3 pm), and the weekend will conclude with the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday at 2 pm.
Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing #51)
"We are in the week of the Italian Grand Prix, and it is always a special emotion. It won't be my first race of the season, but it's obvious that racing at Mugello gives unique sensations. I am back on track with the colors of Aruba.it Racing, and it is a great honor for me, especially after the WorldSBK weekend in Misano, where the team achieved a real masterpiece. The goal is to be fast, competitive, and score some points to give the Aruba.it Racing team a place in the MotoGP standings. I will give my all, even though I am not in the best condition due to a shoulder injury. But I don't want to think about it. Instead, I can't wait to enter the garage and meet Stefano (Cecconi), Serafino (Foti), and the guys from my test team with whom we always do a great job throughout the year. I will put all my effort to give everyone a great satisfaction in the Gran Premio d’Italia"