MotoGP | Ducati always looks ahead: new wings are emerging for Pirro

Ducati gave a clear signal of strength in the three days of MotoGP collective testing in Sepang, with the new Desmosedici GP24 which seems to have been born in the best possible way. Just take a quick look at the ranking to realize this, because they are all there leading the final ranking, with world champion Pecco Bagnaia who shattered the Malaysian track record in 1'36″682, just ahead of Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini.

But it wasn't just the performances that were dazzling, because these three days were enough for the riders who have the official package to decide on the engine, which had already given positive indications last November in Valencia, but also the new aerodynamic package.

The two officials, Bagnaia and Bastianini, appreciated the advantages from the first outing, believing that by working on the setting the weak points could be eliminated. Martin, however, was initially more hesitant, saying he found the bike “heavier” to ride in corners.

However, after the final day, the Prima Pramac representative also endorsed this solution (visible in the photo above), which essentially crosses the two concepts used last year on the GP23, namely the diffuser on the lowest part of the fairing and the step, which, however, has been set back, also creating a sort of front step, on which there are also slits aimed at exploiting air blows inside the hull.

At the moment what is missing is the opinion of Franco Morbidelli, who unfortunately was unable to participate in the Malaysian test due to the head injury suffered in an accident that occurred last week in Portimao, while he was engaged in training on a road Panigale V4 . Among other things, Franky will not be able to take to the track even in the Lusail tests, so he will discover the GP24 only in the Qatar GP which will open the season on March 10th.

A complicated situation for him and for Prima Pramac Racing, which however gave Ducati a good opportunity. In fact, test rider Michele Pirro got on the Italian rider's bike and took the opportunity to carry out aerodynamic experiments, which already seem to go beyond the package just approved by the starting riders. Moreover, it was an opportunity not to be wasted, given that the new concession system limited the tires for private tests available to the Bolognese manufacturer and therefore to the multiple Italian champion.

Michele Pirro, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

A fairing that had no steps or diffusers, but had actual fins in the lower part (in the photo above) was tested on the bike from the Apulian rider. In a first version we can see a triple profile similar to those that had been banned when Ducati had opened the path of aerodynamic development, so one also wonders whether this solution would be considered legal today by the technical director of MotoGP, Danny Aldridge, or less.

Subsequently, Pirro also tried a slightly different version (in the photo that opens the article), which still has three fins, but whose design is reversed and instead of extending upwards they tend to descend, with a shape therefore similar to the diffuser that we are now used to seeing in that area of ​​the motorbike. The feeling, therefore, is that at the gates of Bologna they have not the slightest intention of squandering their technical advantage, limitations or not.