The Ducati Lenovo Team is already in Phillip Island for the Australian GP, Jack Miller's home race |
The Ducati Lenovo Team has arrived in Australia to contest the third-to-last round of the 2022 MotoGP season, the Australian GP, at the Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit this weekend. The track, about a two-hour drive from Melbourne, hosted the World Championship on 25 occasions before the pandemic, forcing organizers to cancel the 2020 and 2021 editions. So far, Ducati has had four wins and 11 podiums at the Australian circuit, the most recent being Jack Miller's third-place finish in 2019 with the Desmosedici GP bike of the Pramac Racing Team. Miller will race his home Grand Prix here and will do so for the first time wearing the colours of the factory team. Winner of the Japanese GP and fresh off a second place in the last round held in Thailand, the Australian rider will be hunting another success in front of his home crowd. For Pecco Bagnaia as well, third in Buriram, the Australian GP will be very important. The Italian rider arrives in Phillip Island with a gap in the Championship of only two points over leader Quartararo. On the Australian track Bagnaia, who finished fourth in the 2019 edition, aims to get another important result for the Championship. Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 2nd (217 points) "After the Thai GP, I went back home for a few days, and now I'm ready to tackle these other two consecutive rounds in Australia and Malaysia. I am excited to return to Phillip Island, a very fast circuit where we can do well. We are now two points behind Quartararo, but this does not change our approach: we have to stay focused, work well from the first session on Friday and aim for victory in the race. Now more than ever, it is important not to make mistakes. We will see how the weather will be. In the last GP, we regained a good feeling in the wet, but we still have to arrive on Sunday ready to race in any condition." Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 5th (179 points) "I am really very happy to be back in Phillip Island and finally have my home Grand Prix with the factory Ducati team. The last time we raced here was in 2019, and this weekend will be the first time my family and friends will see me racing live wearing the colours of the Ducati Lenovo Team, so I am happy and proud! We come from a period in which I found a great feeling with my Desmosedici GP: the bike is working really well, and my feelings are improving race after race, so I can't wait to get on track and fight for a good result again." The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track on Friday, 14th October, for the first practice session of the Australian GP at 9:55am local time (00:55am in Italy), while the race will be held on Sunday, 16th October, with the start scheduled for 2:00pm Australian time (5:00am Italian time) over a distance of 27 laps. Circuit Information Country: Australia Name: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Best Lap: M. Márquez (Honda), 1:28.108 (181.7 km/h) – 2013 Circuit Record: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1:27.899 (182.1 km/h) – 2013 Top Speed: Dovizioso (Ducati), 348 km/h – 2015 Track Length: 4.4 km Race Distance: 27 laps (120.1 km) Corners: 12 (7 left, 5 right) 2019 Results Podium: 1° M. Márquez (Honda), 2° Crutchlow (Honda), 3° Miller (Ducati) Pole Position: M. Viñales (Yamaha), 1:28.492 (180.9 km/h) Giro più veloce: M. Viñales (Yamaha), 1:29.322 (179.2 km/h) Rider Information Francesco Bagnaia Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP Race Number: 63 GPs Started: 169 (64 x MotoGP, 36 x Moto2, 69 x Moto3) First GP: Qatar 2019 (MotoGP), Qatar 2017 (Moto2), Qatar 2013 (Moto3) Wins: 20 (10 MotoGP + 8 Moto2 + 2 Moto3) First GP win: Aragón 2021 (MotoGP), Qatar 2018 (Moto2), Netherlands 2016 (Moto3) Pole positions: 18 (11 MotoGP + 6 Moto2 + 1 Moto3) First pole: Qatar 2021 (MotoGP), France 2018 (Moto2), Britain 2016 (Moto3) World Titles: 1 (Moto2, 2018) Jack Miller Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP Race Number: 43 GPs Started: 189 (134 x MotoGP, 49 x Moto3, 6 x 125 cc) First GP: Qatar 2015 (MotoGP), Qatar 2012 (Moto3), Germany 2011 (125 cc) Wins: 10 (4 MotoGP + 6 Moto3) First GP win: Netherlands 2016 (MotoGP), Qatar 2014 (Moto3) Pole positions: 10 (2 MotoGP + 8 Moto3) First pole: Argentina 2018 (MotoGP), USA 2014 (Moto3) World Titles: - Championship Information Riders' Standings Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2º (217 points) Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 5º (179 points) Manufacturers' Standings Ducati – 1º (391 points) Teams' Standings Ducati Lenovo Team – 1° (396 points) |
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