Gresini has officially kicked off its new satellite Ducati era, after seven years as Aprilia’s Factory MotoGP squad.
With the signing of its new satellite contract with Ducati, Gresini officially switches to full-time Independent status after seven years as Aprilia’s Factory MotoGP team.
During a ceremony in Faenza, riders Enea Bastianini, who impressed with two podiums at Avintia last season, and rookie Fabio di Giannantonio introduced Gresini’s 2022 livery.
Gresini had hoped to have Flex-Box as their MotoGP title sponsor, but that did not materialize, and the motorcycles were painted in unusual red and light-blue colors by Aldo Drudi who is well known for designing Valentino Rossi’s helmets.
Enea Bastianini and di Giannantonio will participate with the same GP21-spec Ducati machinery that Francesco Bagnaia, Jack Miller, and Jorge Martin used to win seven races in the 2021 MotoGP season.
“Now Gresini is part of the Ducati family so for sure we will help them during the season and during the years they stay with us, from the technical and also the human aspect,” Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna said.
“For sure Gresini will have full Ducati support. Gresini is really important for us.”
“Enea has to continue to grow in MotoGP. He did very well in his rookie season. He was able to reach a couple of podiums.”
“I expect for sure he continues on this path and grows with his talent. I think he could be a real protagonist during the season,” Dall’Igna continued.
“For Digia, it’s his first season in MotoGP so I think he has to do something like Enea in his first season… No pressure!”
Bastianini, who finished eleventh in the world championship after a run of four top-six results in the latter months of last season, said:
“The new colours of the bike are very particular, when I saw it first it appears a little strange to me, but now that I see it live I can say it is amazing. Such a great bike can’t be but fast!
“My expectation is to be near the front in all the races. We can do this. The team is incredible. We tried [the bike] for the first time in Jerez and were fast from the start.”
Gresini 2022 team launch comes as the first MotoGP team to reveal its 2022 bikes and riders. The launch also comes less than a year after the shock of losing team boss and former world champion Fausto Gresini to Covid problems.
