After Marc Márquez’s World Championship triumph at Motegi, Ducati is dealing with newfound difficulties as its riders struggled during the MotoGP prequalifications in Mandalika. Both Márquez and Pecco Bagnaia finished in disappointing 11th and 17th places, relegating them to Q1 for the upcoming race, raising concerns about Ducati’s competitive standing amid the ongoing Ducati MotoGP bike controversy.
VR46 Team Principal Sparks Debate Over Bike Usage
Complications deepened when Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci, the VR46 team principal, revealed that Pecco Bagnaia had tested one of Franco Morbidelli’s GP24 bikes at Misano in an effort to boost performance. This claim ignited widespread speculation, especially as Ducati has avoided discussing internal bike-sharing strategies publicly. During a press encounter, Ducati’s team manager Davide Tardozzi showed visible frustration when addressing these allegations.
Tardozzi Expresses Frustration Over Focus on Ducati
Responding sharply, Tardozzi questioned why discussions often center exclusively on Ducati amid the rising competition from other manufacturers, notably Honda.
“Why is it that we always end up discussing future models — 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 — while Honda is clearly on the rise? What chassis are they using?”
he stated, implying a perceived bias in the narrative. He added,
“I fail to understand why these discussions always seem to revolve around Ducati. Perhaps someone is talking too much. We don’t want to give our rivals any edge.”
Manager Refuses to Confirm Reports of Bike Sharing
Tardozzi remained noncommittal about Bagnaia’s alleged use of Morbidelli’s GP24 bike, posing the question,
“Are we really sure about that?”
He further clarified that official riders, including Marc Márquez, Pecco Bagnaia, and Di Giannantonio, are permitted to use various components and make adjustments as part of their roles.
“It’s a privilege and a responsibility of an official rider,”
Tardozzi explained.
Performance Undermines Claims of ‘Miracle’ Equipment
Despite these denials, the results at Mandalika raised serious doubts about the existence of any “miracle” bike benefitting Ducati’s riders. Tardozzi admitted candidly,
“It was a tough day for us,”
and emphasized,
“Coming off a dominant win in Japan, if we truly had the magic of Morbidelli’s bike, today’s performance would have been different.”
He also recognized Mandalika’s reputation as a difficult circuit for Ducati, historically favoring rival teams.
Implications and Outlook for Ducati’s Future Races
As Ducati grapples with this tension and underperformance, the pressure to adapt before the critical races ahead is mounting. Tardozzi’s firm defense and attempts to downplay the bike controversy have yet to dispel doubts within the MotoGP community. With heightened scrutiny and growing competition, Ducati’s next steps will be crucial for maintaining its prominence in the MotoGP landscape.
