After the season-opener held in Qatar, which saw Francesco Bagnaia triumph in Sunday’s race, the Ducati Lenovo Team returns to the Old Continent to contest the second Grand Prix of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship.
The second of the 21 Grands Prix on the calendar this year will be hosted by the Portuguese circuit of Portimão, also nicknamed the “roller-coaster” due to its many fast ups and downs. Introduced to the calendar in 2020, the track located in the south of the country in the Algarve region had seen the reigning World Champion win both the Sprint (the first ever in MotoGP history) and Sunday’s GP last year.
Francesco Bagnaia, who, after the weekend in Qatar, occupies first place in the overall standings, therefore arrives as the favourite in Portugal. It is, instead, time for redemption for teammate Enea Bastianini. Fresh from a fifth place at Lusail, the rider from Rimini is aiming for a good result at Portimão, where last year he was the victim of a crash in the Sprint, which caused him an injury that forced him to miss the first races of the season. Bastianini’s goal will be to be among the leading riders again this weekend.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (31 points)
“I am happy to be back racing in Portugal! Portimão is a track I like a lot, and where we have always been fast in the past. Last year, we won both the Sprint and Sunday’s GP. We have the potential to do well again this year, but it won’t be easy: I expect a lot of opponents capable of fighting for victory and very fierce competition. In any case, we are ready. We will work as always from Friday to try to arrive as ready as possible for the two races.”
Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 5th (15 points)
“I’m happy to be back in Portimão for the first European race of the season. It’s an exceptional track, and at the end of January, we trained here with the Panigale V4S. I have a score to settle with Portimão: I didn’t race last year because of the injury I suffered after the crash in the Sprint. The first GP of the season in Qatar went well, but honestly, I expected to achieve something more, so I’ll try to redeem myself this weekend.”
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track for the first free practice session of the Portuguese GP on Friday, March 22nd, at 10:45 local time (CET -1.00).
- From Ducati Media House
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