Ducati predicts “impossible” 2025 MotoGP challenge
“Monopolising the podium like we have done will be more difficult”
Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna believes the marque will find it “impossible” to lockout the top five positions in MotoGP races like it did in 2024.
The 2024 campaign saw Ducati utterly dominate, with it winning 19 of the 20 grands prix and romping to the constructors’ championship.
Jorge Martin became the marque’s third world champion rider when he guided his Pramac-run GP24 to a career-first premier class crown after a season-long battle with Francesco Bagnaia.
On 14 occasions in 2024, Ducati locked out the podium, while it achieved 53 podiums from six of its eight riders.
In the sprint race in Thailand, the top eight spots were all Ducati riders, while in the Japanese GP it cemented the top five and the top six at the Thai GP.
Though facing a development freeze (along with all non-concession marques) ahead of the 2027 regulations change and losing two bikes from its stable, Ducat isn’t expected to slip down the order.
But Dall’Igna is anticipating its domination to become harder.
“Next year it will be impossible to get results like Japan (top five) and Australia,” Dall’Igna told Australian MCN.
“But even monopolising the podium like we have done lately will be more difficult. Ducati comes out well especially from a sporting point with these results.
“The advantages that the others have, especially Honda and Yamaha [with concessions], are many, so I expected to have to suffer a bit more this season.
“That’s why we took a few more risks at the start of the year, knowing that the others could progress during the season and we couldn’t. And our risk obviously paid off.
“Every time I perceive a slight reduction in performance or that the gap with the others is closing, I push my guys significantly.
“These championships are a big thanks to all the Ducati Corse staff.”
Next year Bagnaia will be joined by Marc Marquez at the factory Ducati squad, while its number of works bikes shrinks from four to three.
The final GP25 will go to VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio.
