Pedro Acosta asks Martin, Bagnaia: Will Ducati influence MotoGP title battle?

Having suggested he’d like to see more ‘spice’ between MotoGP title rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin in the official press conferences, Pedro Acosta was given the chance to ask a question on Thursday at Phillip Island.

After “thinking carefully”, the KTM rookie delivered the following pre-recorded message to the TV camera, which was then played to Martin and Bagnaia: “Will the manufacturer [Ducati] influence the championship battle?”

The backdrop to Acosta’s question not only concerns the fact current leader Martin rides for the satellite Pramac squad and reigning current champion Bagnaia the official factory team.

It also refers to Martin (Aprilia) and Pramac (Yamaha) splitting from Ducati at the end of this season.

Martin replied: “I understand why they ask this question, it’s because they think about it! But for me, I cannot control it, so I won’t focus on that. I will focus on riding.

“I hope for sure not. But I will focus on what I can control which is riding at 100% and trying to be fast.”

Bagnaia pointed out that if Ducati wanted to influence the championship, he would have been allowed to race with the new chassis he liked at the Misano test.

Instead, Ducati has blocked any further technical updates this season, to avoid influencing performance.

“I think if they wanted to help me in some way, already in Misano I could have something better than what is already our package," Bagnaia said.

“Because we tried a new chassis. And the chassis is not ready for everybody, so we are not using yet. Also because it’s more correct like this.

“I think Gigi [Dall’Igna] was always clear on that. As soon as I started riding with Ducati and even more in the last two seasons.

“The factory teams [Lenovo and Pramac] have the same package. Nothing more, nothing less. Or if I have something new, everybody has something new.

“I think it’s a different strategy compared to other [manufacturers] but it’s the strategy that put Ducati in that way: It is so competitive for that reason, that strategy.

“I don’t think and I don’t believe that they will change something [on the bike] until [after] Valencia.”

Martin, seeking to make history as the first satellite rider to win in the ‘MotoGP’ era, holds a ten-point title lead over Bagnaia with four rounds remaining.