Francesco Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini yet to see new Ducati aero: ‘People tell me it’s good’
During Monday’s team launch, Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’I🐭gna teased that the reigning MotoGP champions have some new aero that is "extremely different from the ones we have used so far".

But with the factory keen to keep it under wraps for as long as꧒ possible, it won’t be seen until next month’s Sepang ♋tests.
Indeed, double ꦜworld champion Francesco Bagnaia and factory team-mate Enea Bastianini insisted they have so far only heard about it.
“I didn't see it but people inside the team t🍬ell me t𒉰hat it's good, but different,” said Bagnaia.
“My request was to have [better] handling, draft and downforce! So a𓆏 bit of everything! But I think they did a good job.”
“We haven't seen this solution and I’m really cu🌊rious also to see how the 🐎bike is in Malaysia,” said Bastianini.
Bastianini added that he wouldn’t be surprised if Ducati’s four factory riders, split between the Lenovo and Pramac teams, again pick a different aero package to start the seas💃on.
“[Aero] is a very important part of the bike now and it also depends on the riding style,”❀ he explained. “Last year me and Pecco chose a different solution compared to Pramac. And that can also probably happen again this𓄧 year.”
Bagnaia: Wrong to change Ducati rules under new concessions
The biggest technicalܫ change for the 2024 season is the launch of a revised co🥃ncessions package.
Bottom-of-the-table Honda aඣnd Yamaha have been handed a range of perks - such as private testing with race riders, plus in-season engine and aero modifications - while KTM and Aprilia have also gained some extra private testing tyres and more wild-cꦫards.
But Ducati, which scored 9🐻6% of the potential maximum constructors’ points, loses out, with reduced꧑ private testing tyres and no wild-cards.
“[Yamaha and Honda] can do tests everywhere. So I think it would be a big step for♔ them,” Bagnaia said.
“It's true that they need it, but from my point of view the concessions for Ducati didn't ha𓃲ve to change. For me, Ducati had to stay the same and not reduce the number of test tyres or the wild-cards.
“So I didn't unde꧑rstand it, because the concessions for others w♍ere huge, if we consider Honda and Yamaha. But I think it's good for them because they can do more things.”
Bagnaia also highlighted the winter departure of Ducati ܫVehicle Performance Engineer Max Bartolini to Y⛎amaha as a significant loss.
“Yamaha hasﷺ Max Bartolini coming to them and ❀for sure [he] would be a big step in front for them,” he said.
Ducati kicked off MotoGP’s modern aerody♍namic era by fitting downforce generating wings to its Desmos𒁏edici at the 2015 Qatar test.
The factory remained a step ahead of its rivals for many seasons but is now being challenged by aerodynamic innovations from the likes of KTM (with assistance from Red Bull Advanced Technologies) and Aprilia (w꧒hich pioneered ﷽the ground effect side fairing and uses ‘S Duct’ technology for its front wing).

Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of ജthe Suzuki exit story and 🥀Marc Marquez’s injury issues.