Ducati MotoGP boss reveals its “real problem” for 2025

Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna has revealed that Ducati’s “real problem” for the 2025 MotoGP season is the fact rival brands are fielding “better riders” than before.

The Italian manufacturer dominated the 2024 campaign, with its riders winning 19 of the 20 grands prix and Ducati winning the manufacturers’ and riders’ titles.

Ducati’s representation on the 2025 grid has been reduced from eight bikes to six for 2025, after Pramac elected to sign with Yamaha in the wake of Marc Marquez’s promotion to the factory team, while it will only have three factory GP25s instead of four.

But Dall’Igna doesn’t see the reduction in bikes as being a problem for Ducati, as other manufacturers have increased their grid numbers to little added success in recent years.

What he does feel will hurt Ducati in 2025 is the fact strong riders like 2024 world champion Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini have signed for rivals.

“Honestly, speaking, no,” Dall’Igna replied last month when asked if Ducati’s reduced presence in 2025 would be a problem.

“But the real problem is that other manufacturers have, I think, better riders, because in the past you see some bikes; for example Aprilia made a step from two bikes to four, and anyway the results were more or less the same.

“So, I don’t think to have only six bikes, six riders on the grid, will be the real problem for us.

“The real problem is that Martin is leaving to another company, and same for Enea. I think this is the difference between 2024 and 2025.”

Ducati had originally planned to promote Martin to its factory team for 2025 before Marquez’s defiance in accepting a works bike at Pramac forced a U-turn.

Despite Martin winning the title with Pramac, Dall’Igna is adamant that there are no regrets about Ducati’s 2025 decisions.

“When I took this decision, for sure we thought quite a lot,” he added.

“Also, we thought that Martin could win the championship this year.

“So, this is something we evaluated and we took the decision.

“So, I don’t change my idea at the moment and I’m convinced we have the best possible solution for the Ducati riders.”

On Ducati’s decision to reduce its factory bike allocation from four to three, Dall’Igna noted:“Because from a money point of view, this is the best decision.

“With three bikes you can switch the three to the next season, and so it’s simply better for the economic point of view.

“And on the technical point of view, it’s not a real advantage to have four factory bikes instead of three.”