Ducati confirmed as first factory WorldSBK team to unveil 2023 bike
Aruba.it Racing Ducati has become the first WorldSBK team to confirm its 2023 bike launch, which will take place on Monday the 23rd of January.
The current world champions will present an all-new Ducati Panigale V4 R after the 2019 model was replaced for this year.
The factory Aruba.it Ducati team will be presenting their new machine alongside the Lenovo Ducati MotoGP team.
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2022 was the Italian manufacturer’s most successful year after winning both the MotoGP and WorldSBK titles with Francesco Bagnaia and Alvaro Bautista.
Unlike in MotoGP, the factory WorldSBK team will remain unchanged in 2023 as Bautista defends his crown after signing a one-year deal midwa through last season, while Michael Ruben Rinaldi returns for his third campaign with the team.
Rinaldi held off Axel Bassani to remain alongside Bautista, however, performances will need to improve for the Italian if he’s to be rewarded with another new deal for 2024.
As of now Aruba.it Ducati are the only team to announce an official bike launch date, which is scheduled to take place two days before the opening pre-season test of 2023.
What will be the last test in Jerez before Portimao and Phillip Island play host to their own two-day tests, Bautista and Rinaldi are expected to be in action alongside fellow Ducati riders, Bassani, Phillip Oettl and WorldSBK rookie Danilo Petrucci.
The test will also feature Hafizh Syahrin of MIE Honda, GMT94 rider Lorenzo Baldassarri and British Superbike champion Bradley Ray (Motoxracing Yamaha).
Ducati will also be represented by their WorldSSP title hopeful Nicolo Bulega, while Can Oncu, Andrea Mantovani, Yuta Okaya, Adrian Huertas and ex-Moto3 rider John McPhee will all be testing in the intermediate class.
