CONCESSIONS
Rank A
170 test tyres Private testing for test riders only
Zero wild card GP starts Eight engines, no upgrades One aero upgrade
Rear end focus
Marc Marquez rides a GP23 but few MotoGP insiders doubt he will be in the title fight with GP24 riders like reigning champ Pecco Bagnaia and 2023 runner-up Jorge Martin.
Marquez spent much of preseason testing adapting his riding technique from the Honda. He won his six MotoGP crowns with devastating corner-entry speed; now he is learning to rely less on the front end and more on the rear. The Ducati has massive power and corner-exit traction, so that’s where riders focus their mental and physical energies.
There’s bad news for Ducati’s rivals – although it didn’t seem possible, the factory has made a bigger step forward than it did in 2022 and 2023. Ducati are simply on another level, not only in engineering but also computer engineering – they use artificial intelligence and machine learning more than anyone else. You need vast amounts of data to use these technologies successfully and that’s what eight bikes give Ducati – the more data you accumulate, the more accurate the answers you get from your computer simulations.
Keeping your cool
Pecco Bagnaia’s GP24 during preseason testing, fitted with the latest lower fairing. Leaf blowers are a big thing in MotoGP now – mechanics use them to keep the engine at just the right temperature while it is being warmed up.
The treaded tyres fitted here are only used when the bike is being transported or warmed up, because all used slicks are returned to Michelin for analysis.