Can anyone stop "changed" Bagnaia as Ducati tightens its grip on MotoGP?

By:

Lewis Duncan

Mar 23, 2023, 11:03 AM

As if a record 21 grands prix isn’t enough for this year’s MotoGP schedule, there will be 42 races… And reigning champions Francesco Bagnaia and Ducati are looking tough to topple

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MotoGP’s new campaign begins at this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix with the biggest format shake-up the series has undergone in decades as the sprint revolution comes to town. In a kneejerk bid to overturn the slide in television and trackside interest suffered by the series over the past couple of years, every round of the 2023 calendar (and there is a record 21 of those) will feature a sprint race run on Saturdays to half the distance of the following day’s grand prix.

Unlike Formula 1’s sprint races, which are essentially a final stage of qualifying, MotoGP’s Saturday race will be independent of the grand prix and the grid for both will be decided via the usual time attack. How the sprint races will actually increase enthusiasm for MotoGP is uncertain at this point, but what is sure is that it will have a major impact on the destiny of this year’s world championship.

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Lewis Duncan

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Lewis Duncan is Autosport's International Editor and primary motorcycle racing reporter. A motorsport fan from a young age, Lewis became interested in journalism when he won the star letter competition in the February 2012 issue of F1 Racing Magazine. A member of the Autosport Academy from 2017, Lewis became a freelance motorcycle racing correspondent for Autosport in 2019 before becoming a full-time staffer in 2020 as International Editor.

While MotoGP coverage is his priority, Lewis also covers World Superbikes and road racing across the Motorsport Network, and hosts the Tank Slappers Podcast. He has also occasionally commentated on 750 Motor Club meetings. Away from motorsport, Lewis is a keen record collector with a collection unashamedly largely featuring Iron Maiden and Rush and an avid guitar player.