Francesco Bagnaia made a bold decision by wearing number 1 in MotoGP 2023. Even though this number often brings bad luck to the defending champion.
Bagnaia has just participated in the launch of the Descmosedici GP 2023 motorbike, Monday (23/1/2023) yesterday evening WIB. There is something new from Ducati this season when Enea Bastianini is now Bagnaia’s teammate, replacing Jack Miller.
Apart from teammates, there is also something that looks new in the appearance of Bagnaia’s motorbike next season, namely the use of number 1. This number has the right to be used by the reigning MotoGP champion.
It is definitely an honor as well as motivation for every racer who wears that number. However, this number has become a curse in the MotoGP era.
This is because no rider in the MotoGP era has successfully defended their title using this number. Just ask Nicky Hayden (2007), Casey Stoner (2008 and 2012), and Jorge Lorenzo (2011).
Valentino Rossi in his heyday also chose to use his favorite number 46, as did Marc Marquez with number 93. Even the two world champions before Bagnaia, Joan Mir (93) and Fabio Quatararo (20), continued to use the same number in the following season.
The last time a racer successfully defended his world title with number #1 was Mick Doohan in his last season, 1998, even then in the 500cc format.
This will be a big challenge for Bagnaia and Ducati to prove that number 1 is not a curse. Especially in the era MotoGP, only Rossi and Marc Marquez have successfully defended their world title.
“According to statistics, this is a very tough challenge,” said Ducati General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna as quoted Crash.
“Indeed there are only a few drivers who can defend their championship. So the challenge is more complicated, but we like challenges and want to try to achieve it.”
“We are the defending champions, but always humble and not arrogant, because that is important in sport and in life.”
Watch Video “Display of Quartararo and Morbidelli’s new motorbikes in MotoGP 2023“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(mrp/adp)
