Numbers in motorcycling, and in sport in general, are important. And beyond those of Bagnaiatwo world titles, 21 victories divided between 11 in MotoGP (7 last season), 8 of Moto2 and 2 of Moto3and those of Bautista, 133 races in the derivatives of the series, 58 podiums and 32 victories and champion of 2022 (in addition to the title of 250cc of 2006), there was another question in the presentation of the Italian house that had nothing to do with statistics. Would the pilots trade their usual 63 and 19 for the one?
It was a rumor on Sunday that ran through the networks and by Madonna di Campiglio. So much sin Bagnaia like alvaro Baptist they changed the numbers of their ducati for the next season they were going to choose number 1, the number of the champions. An ‘error’ on the website of ducati on the eve of the presentation, he exposed the intentions of the Italian and the Spanish, which were confirmed when the red blankets were raised to present the 2023 frames.
A sin he is associated with the 63 in his MotoGP stage. But it came to him by chance that he himself explains: “I started with 21, but my number is 41 percent.” Noriyuki Haga. My idols were two: valentino rossi Y Noriyuki Haga. Wearing the 46 for Rossi put too much pressure on me and I really liked the 41. I put on that number, but I got to Moto3 and was Brad Binder and I took the 21 for Troy Baylisswhich I also liked a lot.
In his jump to Moto2 he found that Morbidelli He already had that number occupied, so Turin multiplied it by 2 and wore 42. He won the Intermediate Class World Cup and jumped to MotoGP. Debuting in the premier class with his Moto2 number was the intention, but Álex Rins was there. “I had to choose the 63″, he recalls. And the sequence is simple, 21 multiplied by three, 63. Now play one. “I was undecided, but now I see it on the bike and it’s beautiful. It won’t be easy to defend him.”
In the case of Bautista, it has always been linked to 19, a number worn by other champions. Freddie Spencer won the 250cc title with him in 1985, john kocinski in 1990 in the same category and Ben Spies in SBK he also won with him in 2009. But also Bautista, a football fan and passionate about Atletico Madridhad in kiko narvaez an idol. The man from Cádiz looked in the rojiblanca on 19, so there we found one more reason. And now he also plays change. “I have chosen the number in collaboration, my little one,” says the Talaverano.