Things haven’t exactly gone Energica’s way in the MotoE World Cup. After securing a deal to provide all the race machines for the one-make electric race series, a fire at Spain’s Jerez Circuit forced FIM to shorten the inaugural season. Additional fires at the 2019 Austria Grand Prix and 2020 Spanish Grand Prix added more blemishes to Energica’s record, but they’ve since fixed the issues in 2021 and 2022.
Ironically, just as Energica found its footing, MotoGP organizing body Dorna Sports announced Ducati as the next sole supplier of the series for 2023-2026. While the Italian electric brand will vacate the paddock after the 2022 season, it wants to finish its run in a strong fashion. Unfortunately, reigning Supersport World Champion and MotoE Dynavolt Intact GP rider Dominique Aegerter doesn’t see it that way.
With three seasons under his belt, Aegerter finished as the vice-champion in 2021 and he currently leads the 2022 title chase. However, he hasn’t seen the same type of progress from Energica.
“This year they've brought in a battery that's 15kg lighter, which should be an advantage, but we're slower in terms of lap times at almost every track,” revealed the Swiss rider.
Even more concerning, it seems like the Energica Ego race machines aren’t performing consistently from rider to rider.
“You can usually go full throttle to the end. You usually have enough reserves. But in the last few races I saw and felt that drivers like (Matteo) Ferrari and (Mattia) Casadei have much better acceleration than me and (Eric) Granado,” Aegerter claimed. “Nobody knows why. At least no one wants to tell. But it is very clear to see."
Aegerter’s criticisms didn’t stop there. While most MotoGP teams continue to develop their prototypes from season to season, Energica’s efforts haven’t resulted in a superior machine.
“That disappoints me because the bike weighs 250 kg, we can do between 6 and 8 laps. They did that three years ago,” noted Aegerter. “The Energica machine we have in the pits now is exactly the same as (the) bike in MotoE’s first year, 2019. It’s all the same – fairing, frame, everything.”
With Energica's impending exit, the Dynavolt Intact GP rider won’t have to worry about those issues much longer. Still, he hopes to seize his first MotoE crown aboard an Energica Ego with just four races left in the 2022 season.
