MotoGP manufacturers ranked as Ducati challengers jostle for position
The team discuss how they would rank the grid ahead of the coming season on the latest Crash MotoGP Podcast
The 2025 MotoGP season gets underway in just over a week’s time in Thailand and testing has revealed a seemingly tighter field.
Ducati remains favourites coming into the new season after dominating 2024, winning 19 of 20 grands prix and sweeping all three world titles.
Assembling arguably one of MotoGP’s strongest teams ever in Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia at the factory squad, there is little doubt that - even with its decision to run 2024 engines and start the new year on an old chassis and aero kit - the Italian marque will be the ones to beat at Buriram.
But behind Ducati, Aprilia looks to have made clear steps, while both Japanese manufacturers impressed over the winter.
In the latest Crash MotoGP Podcast, the team discusses each manufacturer’s form over testing and create a top five ranking for them.
Jordan Moreland - Crash Social Media Manager and Podcast Host
1 - Ducati
2 - Aprilia
3 - Yamaha
4 - KTM
5 - Honda
“I think Honda are going to be fifth,” said Moreland.
“I have Ducati at one, Aprilia at two. I’ve went Yamaha third, KTM fourth and Honda fifth.
“But Honda being fifth is not a bad thing because I think, if we’re having a scale, had it been last year the Honda would be like ninth on my scale. But like now they’re in a fifth place but they are closer. They’re sitting there.”
Lewis Duncan - Crash Senior Journalist
1 - Ducati
2- Aprilia
3 - Yamaha
4 - Honda
5 - KTM
“I think in terms of order, Ducati is number one,” Duncan began.
“Is Aprilia number two because [Marco] Bezzecchi has been really impressive, but we haven’t really seen what Jorge Martin can do and we haven’t seen what Bez can do in that race situation. I think it’s probably Ducati, Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda, KTM.
“Yes, KTM has Pedro Acosta but Pedro Acosta did have a tendency last year to throw it down the road and we haven’t yet seen if he can change that. And the tyre wear thing [from testing] is kind of a concern, nobody else seems to have that quite dramatic drop off and when you look at race simulations we saw from the KTM riders they weren’t great. Brad Binder’s long run simulation was kind of on a par with Johann Zarco’s on the Honda, and that was a bike that was reasonably competitive at Buriram last year with Zarco.”
Peter McLaren - Crash MotoGP Editor
1 - Ducati
2 - Aprilia
3 - KTM
4 - Yamaha
5 - Honda
“I’m keeping faith in Pedro Acosta, just that he’s going to qualify decently, he’s going to pull up, he’ll do the fast lap and then just bring it home,” McLaren adds.
“This is the difficulty because you’re separating the bike from the rider. I just think Acosta, he’s a fighter and he’s just looked up for it. He’s quite combative in his dealings with the media and he just looks like someone who is ready to go race and fight, basically.
“I think maybe with the KTM situation as well, their backs are up against the wall, they really need results. With everything going on they need to come out fast. He’s shown he can do a fast lap and Acosta being Acosta… it could be like Japan, maybe he’ll overcook it and it will all go wrong. He’s got the pace to hang in there. I’ll go Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, and then behind KTM Honda and Yamaha it’s [Joan] Mir in Honda, [Fabio] Quartararo in Yamaha.
“Quartararo, I think, over a race would get the better of Mir. So, I think it will be close. It will be a lot closer and it’s mixed up. I don’t think there is going to be this clear distinction between the five brands.”
