RiderTua.com – Brad Binder and Aleix Espargaro seemed to have their own moments at the Qatar GP, but Ducati was still in charge. Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia won respectively the sprint and main races at the Lusail circuit. But Ducati’s dominance goes far beyond race winners, as their presence is felt strongly in the top 10.
Martin won the sprint ahead of Brad Binder (KTM) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), but 4th to 7th were all Ducati riders. In the grand prix, Pecco showed his number 1 qualities by taking victory ahead of Binder, but Ducati’s grip on top spot was even more impressive. Martin finished 3rd and led 5 other Ducati riders who finished behind him with Marc Marquez P4 in his debut with the Gresini team.
Why does the Qatar GP increasingly show that Ducati is more dominant in MotoGP than before?
But regardless of the final finishing position, be it the GP24 or GP23, it is still the best bike on the grid. For years top speed was not a problem, but it was the sharp grip, cornering speed and braking ability of their bikes that gave rivals a headache.
Binder had to work hard to finish 2nd in both races, but when it came to longer races, tire wear also seemed to favor Ducati.
To strengthen this argument, here are some statistics that Ducati provided to help its riders during the Qatar GP:
- Pecco Bagnaia‘s victory made him the first world champion to win the season-opening series race after winning the final race in 2023, since Jorge Lorenzo in 2015-2016.
- Bagnaia’s win in Qatar was also Ducati’s 10th consecutive win across races, a new record for the Italian brand and a MotoGP record.
- After stumbling in the 2023 season (still with Repsol Honda), Marc Marquez’s 4th place finish was his best result since P2 at Phillip Island (2022).
- Jorge Martin’s win in the sprint was his 10th win in 20 races and Ducati’s 17th sprint win in the same number of races.
- Pecco Bagnaia’s total of 19 wins in MotoGP is only 4 shy of Casey Stoner’s achievement on Ducati.
- With Peccoa and Martin combining for a double podium, Ducati’s podium streak was extended to 47 with at least 1 rider on the podium.
Although race speed continues to be Ducati’s great strength, their performance in one lap also remains better than other manufacturers. It’s a combination that could prove ‘deadly’ as manufacturers like KTM and Aprilia come closest as challengers, but struggle to do so consistently.
