Метка: Ducati Team

New Ducati GP25 a “huge” step forward from 2024 MotoGP bike

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Francesco Bagnaia has said he can already notice a “huge” difference between Ducati’s new MotoGP prototype and the outgoing GP24 bike with which he took 11 grand prix wins this year.

The two-time MotoGP champion got his first opportunity to sample an early version of the GP25 that he will be racing in 2025 when he took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Tuesday for the official post-season running.

Completing a total of 56 laps over the course of the one-day test, split between the GP25, the GP24 and a hybrid version of the two bikes, Bagnaia ended up a strong third on the timesheets with a lap that was 0.595s down on pacesetter Alex Marquez of the Gresini team.

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While the GP25 bike he tested in Barcelona is still in development, Bagnaia was already impressed with the potential of the bike and the work Ducati has put in to maintain its hegemony in MotoGP.

“We have to say that we tested many things today and the GP25 [we have] is a good base to start developing and improving [upon],” he said.

“Our engineers and the team will work a lot this winter because we need to improve the base we tested. Luckily me and Marc [Marquez] had the same feeling about the bike and this is very important to go in the same direction on the development. This is great.

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“Already the difference between ’24 and ’25 is quite huge and I think we will not have a big step for Malaysia [test in February] because the step [forward] was already here, but we need to arrange it a bit [in terms of getting everything right]. 

“Also, we need to adapt the set-up of the new bike a bit.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Bagnaia admitted that there were still some areas where the GP25 is in fact weaker than Ducati’s 2024 contender, but he puts it down to the fact that the GP24 was quite refined by the end of the season after a full year of running.

“In terms of handling, the GP24 is still better on the braking,” he explained. “I improved a lot this year with the ’24 [bike] in terms of braking. We will have to search to go in the same direction [with the GP25]. 

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“But the ’25 has a very good stability in terms of fast corners and I like it, and also with used tyres. This is good. And the engine is very strong and fast. 

“Normally we start at this [early] point with the new bike, we also need some work to do. But the starting base is quite good and I’m happy about it.”

It is important for Ducati to start the 2025 season with a strong bike due to a combination of the new engine freeze rules and the concession system.

The engine Ducati will homologate at the start of next year must remain in the same specification until the current rules cycle ends after 2026.

Photos from Barcelona test



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Details of Marc Marquez’s first test with factory Ducati emerge

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Marc Marquez will make his debut as a factory Ducati team rider in Tuesday’s official MotoGP test in Barcelona wearing an all-red suit without personal sponsorship branding on a one-off basis.

The Spaniard will start a new chapter in 2025 and will once again have all the muscle that drives a factory team after a season with Gresini, which is one of the most modest outfits on the grid, racing on a satellite GP23 bike.

The post-season test at Barcelona on Tuesday is an occasion that is likely to grab attention, because the expectation is that it will be comparable to the hype generated by Valentino Rossi’s debut with Yamaha at the Sepang test in 2004, and Marquez himself when he got to sample a Desmosedici for the first time in Valencia 12 months ago.

As Motorsport.com can reveal, Marquez will wear a red suit in the corporate colour of Ducati. The bike will also be painted red and will only bear his famous #93 number, plus the branding of Ducati, tyre supplier Michelin and exhaust supplier Akrapovic.

There will be no trace of Red Bull, one of Marquez’s most faithful sponsors in his career, as the energy drinks giant will stay on the sidelines given Ducati’s link with rival brand Monster.

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Oriol Puigdemont

The contract between Monster and Ducati expires in 2027, one year after the end of Marquez’s own deal with the Italian marque, making impossible for Marquez to continue with Red Bull at any event in which he represents Ducati.

In fact, on the spaces that are owned by the team – suit, cap and motorcycle – the Spaniard will have to incorporate the famous ‘green claw’ logo of American energy drinks maker Monster.

The only exception will be the helmet, where the place normally occupied by Red Bull will be taken over by the stickers of Estrella Galicia, which will also be featured on his water bottle. Monster approached Marquez and made an identical offer to the deal it has with Francesco Bagnaia, but Marquez turned it down.

Marquez also has a long-term agreement with sunglasses brand Oakley, but he won’t be able to use its glasses during his Ducati stint as it has a clashing deal with Carrera. Like Monster, Carrera also tried to bring the six-time MotoGP world champion to the list of athletes its sponsors, but he declined the offer.

Marquez will initially test the GP24 on Tuesday, the same prototype with which Bagnaia and Jorge Martin fought for the 2024 title, before switching to a hybrid version of the bike.

Marquez and Bagnaia will get to sample the GP25 in Malaysia at the beginning of February, and that specification of bike will be much closer to what they will race in the opening grand prix of 2025 in Thailand in March.

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I will learn to finish fifth instead of crashing after MotoGP title defeat

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Francesco Bagnaia says he will learn that it’s better to accept defeat than go over the limit and crash, as he seeks to retake the MotoGP title in 2025.

Despite winning 11 of the 20 grands prix this year, plus seven additional victories in sprints, factory Ducati rider Bagnaia lost out on this year’s championship to the more consistent Jorge Martin from the satellite Pramac team.

The Italian’s campaign was marred with misfortune and unforced errors, with a number of crashes from leading positions — including in the penultimate sprint race at Sepang — leaving him chasing Martin in the points table for the majority of the year.

Bagnaia took victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this month and followed that up with a double triumph in Barcelona, but it wasn’t enough to usurp the points advantage Martin had built with fewer first-place finishes.

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Following the final race, the two-time champion has revealed that he has identified a lot of areas where he must improve during the winter break in order to come back stronger next year. 

This includes giving up positions when he is not the fastest rider on a given day, instead of fighting too hard for the win and crashing out.

“We can be very satisfied and very happy [with 2024], but for next year we have to improve in some areas,” he said.

“I have to understand better maybe some situations because I’ve been taken out three times by other riders, I had an issue with the bike, then I crashed four times for very small things. So I have to improve and I will try to do it for next year.

“I’m a rider that never gives up, [but] sometimes it’s better to think more and maybe finish in fifth or fourth than crash and this is something that I will learn.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

He added: “I just tried to do the maximum in all the three races and it wasn’t enough because Jorge this season learned that sometimes it is better to be passed and finish second than winning. 

“He did a fantastic job, he deserves the title.”

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Bagnaia suffered an early blow to his championship hopes when he ended up on the ground after a collision with Gresini’s Marc Marquez in the Portugal Grand Prix.

Another DNF followed in Jerez when he was sandwiched by KTM’s Brad Binder and VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi, and he was also taken out of the Emilia Romagna GP by the other Gresini bike of Alex Marquez.

While it was hard to apportion blame on Bagnaia in any of the incidents, he said he could still change his approach while fighting with other riders on track not to give away important points in the championship.

“The first thing I will have to learn is to understand the situations better,” he said. “It’s true that three out of these eight zeroes come from strange situations, the one in Portimao with Marc, the one with Jerez with Brad and the one with Alex Marquez in Aragon. 

“In all three, it’s true that I’ve been taken out by other riders, but all three were situations that maybe I could avoid. 

“The one with Marc – he was faster, so maybe wait and don’t cross the line. I’m saying that now but when I’m racing I just want to arrive more in front than I can, but maybe from next year I will improve [on] that. 

“The one with Alex Marquez I was clearly faster by four tenths, and I didn’t wait because he was wide so I said, ‘okay, it’s my moment’ — and then he touched me and made me crash. 

“The one with Brad was the same. I think I have to learn from my mistakes.”

Photos from Barcelona GP Race



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Why would we need to be enemies off the track?

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin feel there is no reason why they should be “enemies outside the track” as they fight for the 2024 MotoGP title.

For a second season in a row, Bagnaia and Martin have been in a class of their own in MotoGP, with their championship battle set to culminate in next week’s Barcelona finale.

Their rivalry has taken place against the backdrop of Pramac rider Martin being snubbed for a promotion to the factory Ducati team next year, with six-time champion Marc Marquez instead being chosen for the coveted seat alongside Bagnaia.

While the changes instigated by Ducati made Martin lose faith in the Borgo Panigale marque and forge a new career path with Aprilia from 2025, he hasn’t allowed that decision to have any impact on his relationship with Bagnaia.

The Italian, too, has returned the favour, with both repeatedly emphasising the respect they have for each other as rivals.

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Speaking again about the matter after engaging in an epic early battle for victory in the Malaysian GP, Bagnaia reiterated his intention to maintain a cordial relationship with his championship rival.

“For me it is very easy [to maintain harmony with Martin] because I’m not the type of guy that wants to be rude outside of the track and then need to be rude inside of the track or to be aggressive — pushing out and being the one that doesn’t respect rivals,” he said.

“I have never been like this and I will never be like this. If in case Jorge will start to do it, I will change, but Jorge is more or less the same as me. 

“Surely, respect is the main thing and will always be like this from my point of view. So I don’t understand why we need to be enemies outside of the track, not speak to each other and be rude. I prefer [it] like this.”

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Dorna

Both Martin and Bagnaia raced for Aspar Mahindra in Moto3 back in 2015 and have been a part of the grand prix paddock ever since.

That helped establish a solid foundation to their relationship, with the intensity of a title fight not enough to put a dent in the respect they have for each other on and off the track.

“We [have] known each other since 2015. We were really close friends in the past,” Martin said. “Now we no longer have that relationship but we are good to each other. 

“As he said, it’s no sense to [be enemies]. We can fight, you saw on Sunday, it’s an amazing battle for history. 

“Maybe not the last laps, but it was amazing [overall] and then we can speak about it. I think we both enjoyed it. 

“And as he said, if it’s like this in the future, for me it will be perfect, and I hope it will be like this always.”



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Bagnaia says “anything can happen at Barcelona” despite slim title hopes

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Francesco Bagnaia believes the switch of venue from Valencia to Barcelona offers him an extra glimmer of hope in his unlikely bid to overhaul Jorge Martin in the points race at the last round.

Factory Ducati rider Bagnaia closed the gap to Martin to 24 points with a win in Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, keeping the Italian’s hopes alive in the championship battle.

But Martin will be a strong favourite with such an advantage. Outscoring Bagnaia by two points in the Saturday sprint on the final weekend would be enough for the Pramac Ducati man.

However, the venue for the finale is set to be switched from Valencia to Barcelona at short notice following the catastrophic floods in the city that traditionally plays host to the last race.

Bagnaia, who realistically needs a mistake from Martin to have a chance of a third straight title, feels the move to Barcelona opens up exactly that possibility.

“Mathematically [the title] is still possible,” said Bagnaia. “We know it’s quite difficult, but anything can happen in Barcelona.

“I do normally perform better at Barcelona, but it’s a more tricky circuit where [you can be very close to] making mistakes, so you have to be more precise.”

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Bagnaia pointed to his own accident there at the Catalan Grand Prix in June, when he fell at Turn 5 on the final lap.

“I crashed there in the sprint race when I had a one-second lead, even though I was trying to avoid any mistakes.

“It will be tricky; the conditions will be tougher compared to [May] because it will be cold. And two corners there are quite tricky, Turn 2 and Turn 5.

“It will be important to try to be competitive but still calm.”

Failing a major mistake by Martin, Bagnaia is well aware that his only hope will be to take maximum points while other riders push Martin further down the field.

“We still have a chance, but we really need some help from others. [Otherwise] if I win Jorge will finish second because we are at another level.

“So I will try to help everybody during the weekend and lend my slipstream that someone can follow. I just need someone to get between me and Jorge.”

Bagnaia said one rider who wouldn’t be on his side would be local racer Aleix Espargaro, who will get a bonus farewell on home ground before heading into retirement.

“I know Aleix will be strong in Barcelona and will help Jorge all weekend,” Bagnaia said of the Aprilia rider.

Photos from Malaysian GP Race



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Ducati ‘bothered’ Bagnaia is trailing Martin despite having most wins

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi admits that it “bothers” him that Francesco Bagnaia is only second in the MotoGP standings despite having won half the races so far.

Factory rider Bagnaia clinched his ninth grand prix victory from 18 rounds in last weekend’s Thailand GP, having successfully fended off an attack from Gresini rival Marc Marquez in the first part of the race.

But, with just two rounds to go, he still faces a substantial 17-point deficit to Pramac’s Jorge Martin, who has won three Sunday races in comparison, including just one since the summer break.

A string of crashes in grands prix and sprints, plus some misfortune thrown in between, have hurt the Italian’s chances of clinching a third straight title in the premier class.

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Speaking about the intra-Ducati championship battle, Tardozzi stressed that it is important that both Bagnaia and the factory team minimise errors in order to overcome Martin in the title race.

“In the end, if I have to say what bothers me a little is that Pecco has won half the races and is second in the championship. This is something that should and must give us pause for thought for the future,” Tardozzi told Motorsport.com’s Italian edition.

“We have made a few too many mistakes in the races, it must not be like that in the near future. But to have a rider who has won half the races is something important. 

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“Pecco is making history, right now he is outclassing a great guy like Casey Stoner, so thank you Pecco!”

Tardozzi also had words of encouragement for Martin, who he believes is now much more mature than during his failed title bid in 2023.

The former superbike racer explained that the Spaniard had learned to accept the best result possible on any given day, which has contributed to his consistency and a drastic reduction in crashes from leading positions.

«After last year when he lost the championship, Jorge was very good at understanding that he needed help on the emotional side,” said Tardozzi.

“I think that last winter he made big progress on a mental level and he’s putting it into practice. 

“It’s no coincidence that he’s the world championship leader: when he has to settle he settles, something he wouldn’t have done last year or in the past. We simply have to say well done to Jorge Martin.”



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Bagnaia admits Thailand GP was a «must-win» as he cuts gap to Martin

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Francesco Bagnaia admitted to some relief as he bounced back to secure victory in a “must-win” Thailand Grand Prix after being defeated by Jorge Martin in the sprint encounter.

The Italian achieved his first win in wet weather conditions, bringing his 2024 tally up to nine successes over full-length races. 

Coming after he finished third behind Martin in the sprint race, the double defending champion benefitted from a wide moment by his Pramac Ducati rival to move into the lead on lap five.

Though he’d engage in a to-and-fro with the close-following Marc Marquez in the ensuing laps, the Gresini rider’s fall on lap 12 would release Bagnaia to race home for an important victory.

“Absolutely, it was a must-win,” he declared. “In terms of the championship, not too much. But in terms of feeling, in terms of mental side, it was very important — not just for me, but also for him.

“I want to dedicate this victory to my team, because after the morning we just sat down and spoke about what to do to improve the situation because I was struggling a lot on braking.

“And we did it, again. I’m so happy. It wasn’t an easy race because it was very long and stressful, but as soon as I started I saw that my feeling was very good and I saw Jorge pushing a lot.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“But I just decided to wait two more laps to make sure the rear was more ready, and as soon as it was I just tried to catch him back.

“Then I opened the gap, but Marc was pushing hard. The lap he crashed on we were two tenths faster in sector three, so it was an incredible lap already and the pace was super strong.”

The results have reduced Bagnaia’s deficit to Martin as the championship protagonists are now separated by 17 points with two rounds and four races remaining.

“It’s a good day for us for everything,” added Bagnaia. “And the 17 [points] that is the gap is a good number for me. It was a day to make the difference and luckily we did it.

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“I knew it was important that I finished first rather than second to gain more points for the championship.”

Bringing his career tally of MotoGP wins to 27, this was nonetheless Bagnaia’s first achieved in wet conditions, a small career milestone that gives him confidence moving forward.

“Because I always crashed, but I was always not fast enough,” he said. “Two years ago I was fighting for the win [in the wet in Thailand], but I finished two seconds behind the leader.

“The pace was there but not enough. Today from the start I believed a lot in trying to do it, and it was the best time.” 



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Ducati halts GP24 bike development amid Martin, Bagnaia MotoGP title fight

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Ducati has decided to halt development of its 2024 MotoGP bike as the title battle between Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia enters the final phase.

With four events to go in the championship and 10 points separating Martin and Bagnaia in the standings, Ducati has halted the development of the GP24 so that the pair can fight for the title with the machinery they already know.

Bagnaia took his eighth win of the year and fourth double at Motegi last Sunday, completing a perfect weekend. After arriving in Japan with a 21-point deficit, the Italian recovered 11 points in a single event, confirming that the battle between him and the Spaniard is more open than ever.

Whether it is because of the equality between the two, contract commitments or a simple question of fair play, Ducati has decided to halt the development of the Desmosedici GP24.

Motorsport.com understands that the last new development came at Silverstone, two months ago, and that was a fairing on the lower sides of the bike.

Despite the fact that Martin will leave the Borgo Panigale brand at the end of the season to join Aprilia in 2025, the Bolognese manufacturer’s executives have continued to insist that the Spaniard will have exactly the same tools he had before his departure, to fight for what would be his first MotoGP title.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Dorna

Bagnaia’s and Martin’s agreements with Ducati are identical, regardless of their pay, and this can be extrapolated to Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli, the other two GP24 riders. That means that any improvement that one of them receives must be available to the other three.

Precisely for this reason, the most relevant elements that Ducati tested in the collective test held last month at Misano will no longer be incorporated on the GP24, but directly on the GP25.

«At Misano, I tested a new chassis, which neither I nor Jorge will be able to use this year. Basically, because it’s an evolution that Ducati should be able to offer by contract to all the riders who ride the GP24, but unfortunately, there are not enough parts,» Bagnaia told Motorsport.com.

«Our bike [his and Martin’s] will stay as it is until the end of the season. And it’s a pity because it’s an important step forward, which could probably help to make a difference. But Ducati was always clear about that, and the two bikes will be the same until the end. This chassis will be the starting point for next year’s Ducati.»

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Ducati claims to give equal treatment to the two main title contenders, but that is obviously limited to this season. Martin’s move to Aprilia meant that he did not test the chassis in question at the Marco Simoncelli circuit.

In fact, neither he nor any member of Pramac, which will switch to Yamaha bikes next season, was able to enter the Ducati’s garage, something that was customary in testing.

Asked directly about the confidence he has in Ducati to keep its promise until the finale in Valencia, Martin said: «Ducati is backing me 100%. My bike is perfect and I’m convinced that it will stay that way until the world championship is over.»



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The 2023 “nightmare” Martin is avoiding as MotoGP title pressure cranks up

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Jorge Martin says working on his mental strength is aiding his MotoGP world title fight after suffering “a nightmare” during last year’s world championship tussle over the flyaway rounds.

The Pramac Ducati rider’s MotoGP standings lead may have been trimmed by three points to 21 points over the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend by Francesco Bagnaia, but Martin felt his victory in the main race gave him the perfect response to crashing out of the Saturday sprint race.

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With Marc Marquez (mechanical) and Enea Bastianini (crash) both failing to finish the Indonesia GP, it has set up a likely repeat of the 2023 title showdown between Martin and Bagnaia over the final five rounds.

In last year’s championship tussle the Italian prevailed with seven consecutive podiums, highlighted by two wins, while the Spaniard failed to finish twice and missed out on the podium in three grands prix over the same period.

After reflecting on losing the title during the final rounds 12 months ago, the 26-year-old has opened up on his preparation for the flyaway races, having taken up meditation to improve his focus and mental fortitude.

Speaking during the Japanese GP pre-event press conference, Martin says how he has utilised the benefits and feels mentally better prepared.

“I sleep much better now, last season was really difficult to manage for me,” Martin said. “Not so much here in Japan, but more in Thailand and Malaysia was really tough and then of course Valencia.

“I feel I have improved a lot in terms of the mental side and I worked a lot over the season. I feel I have done an amazing step so I am enjoying it now. I enjoy to go out on track and I enjoy to ride.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“Last season it was the opposite, it was like a bad dream, a nightmare, really a nightmare.

“Even if I was winning I didn’t enjoy it at all. Now I am enjoying it so now I am super happy and I am proud to be here so it is really, really good.”

At last year’s Motegi round Martin did the sprint and grand prix double, albeit with the Sunday race red-flagged at the halfway stage due to heavy rain and dangerous conditions.

Bagnaia, who finished third in the sprint and second in the grand prix last year, feels three of the five remaining circuits are where he can find an advantage over Martin as he aims to overturn the points deficit.

“I think this [Motegi] track is good for us, and I think Thailand and Malaysia are good for us, so we have three tracks where we are very strong,” Bagnaia said. “We have Australia where Jorge is very strong.

“I think the fight could be [down] to a similar performance in Thailand and Valencia.

“We are in a situation where we need to be better than him, he can control a little bit more.”

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