Ducati point to rivals with “advantage” after key Marc Marquez engine decision

Ducati insist rival manufacturers have an advantage with engine freeze rules after they confirmed their big decision for Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.

The factory Ducati riders will use last year’s specification of engine in 2025, after testing the new version and opting against it.

Marquez and Bagnaia will, therefore, go to battle with a key component of the GP24 - the bike which handily dominated last year’s championship.

Crucially, they are committed to that decision for two years while some rivals are able to change their minds.

MotoGP technical director Danny Aldridge explained: “The reason for the freezing is because the new rules come into place. “From 2027 we change to the 850cc engine size so there is a lot more development that the manufacturers need to do.

“If they know their engine is frozen for the next two years, they can then put more resources into the 2027 specification engine.”

A manufacturer’s place in the concessions rankings impacts whether they are able to change their minds about their engines or not.

Aldridge explained: “The freezing is decided on the manufacturers’ position in the concessions championship.

“If they are in A, B or C this year, and A, B or C next year, they freeze their engine this year and continue to use those engines next year.

“Ducati, for example, are criteria A. They will freeze the specification that they use this year.”

Ducati technical director Davide Barana admitted the importance of the engine freeze.

“Without the freezing of the engine, we would’ve had two projects in parallel,” Barana said.

“This would double the cost and it’s not good for the championship.”

Marquez said after testing’s big decision: “The engine was the main thing because when you homologate, it will be for two years.”

Bagnaia insisted: “It’s the correct choice.”

But not everyone was put on the spot to make a crunch call like Ducati.

Yamaha’s Max Bartolini said: “For manufacturers that don’t have the concessions, they must decide ahead of the first race which engine to use.

“Those who have concessions don’t have to choose. You cannot change any parts of the engine.

“Clearly you need to manage your resources because they are not unlimited.”

Aldridge explained: “If we take Yamaha and Honda, their concession ranking is D at the moment.

“If, at the end of the 2025 season, they stay in D then they have free development in 2026. So nothing changes for them.

“However, if they move up to A, B or C then they can bring a new engine in for 2026 which will be frozen for the whole season.”

Ducati rivals 'advantage' with engine

Yamaha’s Bartolini said: “For sure, it’s an advantage.

“How much of an advantage? Difficult to say. It depends how you can use the concessions.”

Ducati’s Barana claimed: “They have an advantage because they are free to modify their engines in terms of performance, also the engine to accommodate something in the chassis.”

Yamaha’s Bartolini said: It’s up to us to be well balanced. You don’t put 100% effort into the project, you look more long distance.”

How are the other manufacturers impacted?

Aldridge explained: “If Aprilia, KTM or Ducati move down to D, they would have a free engine specification for 2026.

“If they stay in their positions they follow over their engines from this year.”

So the main engine decision for the upcoming season was undoubtedly with Ducati, who chose not to use their latest specification and instead trust last year’s title-winning engine.

It is a call that Marquez and Bagnaia backed. Marquez notably impressed in preseason testing with the ‘24 engine on his GP25.

The season-opening Thailand MotoGP is this weekend.