But Ducati started the winter break with the best feeling.
The third round of the season in saw take the checkered flag for , his first race win in any world championship class and the first ever for Aprilia in the premier class.
The Spanish, French, Italian, Germany, Dutch, and Finnish Grands Prix will follow before the teams get a month-long summer break.
The eight-time world champion returned from a complicated arm injury in 2021 and was initially far from fit.