After a disappointing start to the MotoGP season in Thailand, Ducati faces a series of crucial questions. The Italian manufacturer found itself in an unexpected third place in the constructors' standings, a position it hasn't occupied after the opener since 2014. This result is particularly concerning given that lead rider Marc Marquez was on track to secure a significant points haul before a wheel rim failure. The team's performance in Buriram was a stark contrast to the 1-2-3-4 finish they achieved in the Thailand Grand Prix just a year prior. So, what went wrong? Here are three key questions Ducati must address to understand and improve their situation.
Was it the rear casing?
Several Ducati riders had premonitions of a challenging weekend, pointing to the reinforced tyre carcass used by Michelin in Thailand as a potential culprit. This is not an isolated incident; a harder-construction tyre also contributed to Ducati's underperformance in Mandalika last year, where only Fermin Aldeguer could make it work. Alex Marquez expressed his concerns, stating that the situation might be 'strange' within the season. He further elaborated on the challenges faced in Indonesia, where they encountered similar issues with the same or similar tyre casing. The rear tyre seems to create a lot of rear pushing when entering corners, which could be a significant factor in Ducati's struggles.
However, Pecco Bagnaia disagrees, insisting that there is no fundamental mismatch between the reinforced rear tyre and the Ducati. He attributes the team's performance issues to other factors, such as controlling the tyre and the bike's turning capabilities. Bagnaia believes that the track is actually very good for them, and they have won in Austria with the reinforced rear tyre.
Is the Aprilia really this good?
Pedro Acosta's dominant performance in Buriram has propelled him to the championship lead, but Ducati is not overly concerned about him. Acosta's results were impressive, but not necessarily sustainable over a 24-round season. The real worry for Ducati is the Aprilia RS-GP, which seemed to have an edge over Ducati throughout the weekend. The team's performance was so strong that only Jorge Martin's lack of full race fitness prevented a more lopsided display of dominance.
Fabio Di Giannantonio acknowledged that the Aprilias were stronger, and Marc Marquez agreed, highlighting the performance gap between the two teams. The question on everyone's mind is whether the Aprilia was flattered by the rear tyre construction and specific grip conditions, or if it genuinely outperformed Ducati. Ducati will be anxious to see how the RS-GP performs at upcoming tracks, especially given that Bezzecchi's Aprilia has shown versatility and consistency in the past.
Will anyone else rise to the occasion?
Ducati's fate in Buriram could have been very different had it not been for an unlucky kerb strike by Marc Marquez, who was physically limited after a major injury. The team's over-reliance on a 33-year-old rider, even one as talented as Marquez, is a concern. While he is still capable of 'carrying' the project even when half-fit, Ducati cannot afford to depend solely on him.
Among the rest of the Ducati fleet, Fabio Di Giannantonio performed well, albeit not reflected in the results due to an incident on Saturday and a technical issue on Sunday. However, Alex Marquez, Bagnaia, and Franco Morbidelli all underperformed, with the younger Marquez being the worst scorer in the championship. Bagnaia's performance was particularly alarming, as he was tangibly slower than his Ducati peers, except for stand-in Michele Pirro. The subtle change in track conditions from the test to the race weekend seemed to affect Bagnaia more than others, with corner entry issues again.
Ducati's self-reflection is welcome, but it's clear that the team has more work to do to address these concerns and return to their winning ways.
