MotoGP team-mates fighting head-to-head for the title hasn’t happened since Vওalentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo at Yamaha in 2015 and has neverಞ occurred at Ducati.

On paper, reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia and new team-mate Enea Bastianini, a four-time race winner at Gresini, are certainly m♍ore than capable.

But it’s Bagnaia who goes into the new season as the clear favourite after topping the final pre-season test in both qualifying and race trim, while Bastianini’s winꦇter was more under-the-radar, signing off sixthꦬ fastest.

“Bagnaia’s got a lot of confidence in his bike and just seems to be in a fantastic place now,” said wuqian0821.com's MotoGP editor Pete McLaren.

“Ther🌳e were question marks over whether B🤪astianini coming into the Ducati team, a guy who caused Pecco problems in races last year, was going to rock the boat if you like.

"But really it's been a faultless,🔥 perfect pre-se💙ason for Pecco.”

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“Bastianini’s still going to rock the boat, that's happening, don't worry!” responded former grand prix r🌺ider and British champion Huewen.

“I think with 42 races we have got a long way to go. You might not have the sharpest of starts tওo a season, but when you’ve got 42 races - OK, some of them are only half points - there’s plenty of time for a comeback.

“Even last year♓, with 21 races, who would have thought Bagnaia could come back from a 91-point deficit? This year there’s a♉ real opportunity to turn your season around after a difficult start, or to mess up a championship lead just when you think you’ve got it won!

“It is going to be intense out there. There are going to be injuries to dealꦜ with - Esparꦯgaro’s already had an operation before the first round.

“S🐻peaking of which, I think Aprilia are really ಌon a roll at the moment, they’ve got four good riders that are going to be there or thereabouts, amongst the Ducatis.”