Michael Scott | August 14, 2024
Cycle News In The Paddock
COLUMN
Ducati’s Duck Soup
The number-one plate, according to Mick Doohan, is nothing more than a target for the other riders. “When you’re on the bike, you can’t even see it.”
The great multi-champion always had a gift for cutting through the crap. (Another of his pithy sayings, when some interlocutor was getting a bit too intense, delivered with a resigned expression: “It’s only a motorcycle race.”)
Yet there are others for whom this superficial badge of honor really means something. Some riders. More importantly, all manufacturers. A picture of your bike with the champion’s mark is more than just a vanity talisman. It’s an advertising coup.
The British GP, as well as events leading up to it, threw the matter into sharp focus. At Silverstone, the often mistakenly underrated Enea Bastianini claimed a clear double win and put himself firmly into the running for the championship.
Ducati has another rider with eyes very much on the MotoGP Championship: Enea Bastianini.
His dominant performance may have been a little unexpected. But not really, when you consider his history. Enea, rather refreshingly the only top-level Italian not to be part of the VR46 milieu, won four races in 2022 on a year-old Ducati, earning a factory ride in the process. A fine sophomore season, undermined by appalling luck the next year.
In 2023, the self-styled “Beast” (an ill-fitting nickname for an affable personality and cool, calculating rider) had an injury-plagued nightmare. At the very first race, the inaugural Sprint in Portugal, Marini knocked him off and broke his shoulder. He missed five races. Then, soon after his return, another crash at Catalunya’s notorious first corner. He took the blame for knocking down Zarco, Bezzecchi, Marquez and Di Giannantonio, and was injured yet again. He missed another three races.
Never really fully fit, he took a win anyway, in Malaysia. As the year before, it was a demonstration of remarkable tire preservation and late-race speed. As again at Mugello this year, when he made up more than a second to steal second place off Vinales at the final corner.
Now, midway through 2024, with Marquez dropping away somewhat on his year-old bike, the focus of the championship battle is on defender Bagnaia and narrow points leader Martin.
And now Bastianini, too. After maximum points in Britain, the 26-year-old second-factory Ducati rider is just 49 points adrift, with a total of 370 points still available over the second half of the season.
All three ride GP24 Ducatis, so the brand has the title in the bag.
But next season only Bagnaia will still be riding for Bologna. His new teammate—none other than Marc, an appointment that triggered chaos.
Martin, miffed at being twice passed over for the factory ride, promptly signed for Aprilia.
Bastianini, set to be demoted if he stayed, is off to KTM.
Either of those rival constructors would be more than delighted for one of their bikes to wear the number one.
This leaves Ducati in a bind entirely of their own making. Or was it? Perhaps they are innocent victims, blindsided by the power and ambition of Marc Marquez. It was his insistence on getting a full factory bike next year combined with his refusal to accept a role at the Pramac B-team, that caused all the pain.
As a corollary, Pramac also spat the dummy, turning their back on 20 years of closeness with Ducati to link with Yamaha next year.
Having said that, at Silverstone, Ducati high-up Davide Tardozzi confirmed that as well as the two GP25s for Bagnaia and Marquez in the home team, a third will be going to Di Giannantonio in Rossi’s VR46 squad (taking over as the senior satellite team). If they’d given it instead to Marc’s current Gresini team, he’d have been happy to stay there. Martin could have been promoted as he wanted; Bastianini mollified with a favored Pramac ride.
Either way, Ducati is in the soup.
In the past, they have held themselves aloof from issuing team orders, as last year between Bagnaia and Martin. Then, there was nothing to lose.
Now, even if they do issue team orders, why would either of the departing riders feel any need to obey?
Bagnaia and Marquez might. But what could the orders be, to join forces to knock the other two down?
There is a way they can favor Bagnaia.
It’s not as crude as putting sugar in the petrol, but it amounts to the same thing. Mechanical sabotage. Even if only indirectly, by giving Bagnaia upgrades denied to the other two. Although engine-freeze rules rather limit the possibilities.
Back in Rossi’s day, Michelin was always able to make special track-specific tires just for him (just ask Casey Stoner). But that’s not possible, either.
It’s a job for a modern-day Machiavelli. And is there anyone so manipulatively evil inside Ducati?
Please don’t answer that question.CN
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