Just two days after the conclusion of the 2023 MotoGP season, the first official test of 2024 took place on 28 November.
Ducati’s factory riders Bastianini and Francesco Bagnaia got a taste of their 2024 bikes for the first time in Valencia, having both missed the Misano test in September due to injury.
Bastianini, who struggled for most of the 2023 season when he wasn’t injured to adapt to the GP23, particularly on corner-entry, says the 2024 bike is better in most areas including engine braking.
However, he notes corner-entry still needs to be improved even if it is better than the 2023 bike was in this area.
“The first impact with the 2024 bike was better from the start,” the Malaysian Grand Prix winner said after ending the test eighth fastest.
“Not a big difference compared to the ‘23 bike, but better. Also, we have worked well with the set-up, because this year it has been impossible for me to do something different on the bike.
“We have improved the turning. We need to improve a little bit more on [corner] entry. It’s one limit for the moment of this bike, but it’s better compared to the '23.
“In the middle of the corner [is better], but also for me we have improved the set-up.
“The new bike’s engine is better. It’s fast and also the first touch of the throttle is good.
“The new engine brake is better, but similar to the ‘23. But also, we have to try something different.
“Pecco tried something different and for his style it was good. I will try this part in the Sepang test. This part can help me for the engine braking.”
Reigning double world champion Bagnaia also raved over the progress made with the 2024 bike, but noted power delivery was a weakness right now.
“I think the engineers and technicians of Ducati can be satisfied for the work,” Bagnaia added.
“For many things, it’s already the same [as the 2023 bike] and this is a really good way to start.
“And for other things, it’s better. So, I think it’s a good way to start. Valencia is not the best circuit to try different things, also for the conditions it was a disaster because of the wind.
“But we managed to try everything and session by session I was getting better.
“We improved the things that I was asking for, which was the entry. We need to improve on the power delivery, but we have time.”
Bagnaia suggests that the power delivery is a bit more aggressive than he would like, but noted the 2023 bike was “too smooth” in this area.
“For me, last year we went in the opposite direction of being too smooth and I prefer a more connected bike in the acceleration,” he noted. “[With the 2024] you feel the power.”
Bagnaia ultimately reverted to a hybrid 2021/22 engine ahead of the start of last season because the full 2022-spec was too aggressive on-throttle.
