Last Sunday at Motegi, Bagnaia took his eighth victory of the year and fourth double, completing a perfect weekend. After arriving in Japan with a 21-point deficit, the Italian recovered 11 points in just one event, confirming that the battle between him and the Spaniard is more open than ever. In the last four stages of the calendar, the reigning champion has taken 13 points from the challenger. If the same momentum is repeated in the four remaining races before the closing of the World Championship in Valencia, Bagnaia will celebrate his third consecutive crown.
Whether due to the parity between the two, contractual commitments or a simple matter of fair play, Ducati has decided to stop the development of the Desmosedici GP24 for the final stretch of the championship. According to Motorsport.com, the latest development was carried out at Silverstone two months ago and involved a fairing on the lower part of the bike.
Bagnaia and Martín will compete for the title with the weapons they already know and on equal terms. Although the Spaniard will leave the Borgo Panigale brand at the end of the season to join Aprilia in 2025, the managers of the Bolognese manufacturer have not stopped insisting on the fact that the number 89 will have exactly the same tools he had before his departure, to fight for what would be his first title in the heavy bike category.
Bagnaia and Martin’s agreements with Ducati, emoluments aside, are identical, and this can be traced back to Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli, the other two riders riding a GP24. This means that any improvement one of them receives must be available to the other three. Precisely for this reason, the most relevant elements that Ducati tested in the collective test held last month in Misano, between the San Marino Grand Prix and that of Emilia Romagna, will no longer be incorporated on the GP24, but directly on the GP25.
“At Misano I tested a new chassis, which neither Jorge nor I will be able to use this year. In practice, because it is an evolution that Ducati should be able to offer by contract to all GP24 riders. But unfortunately there are not enough parts,” Bagnaia told Motorsport.com, before underlining: “Our bike [sua e di Martin] it will remain as is until the end of the season. And that’s a shame because it was an important step forward, which probably could have helped make a difference. But Ducati has always been clear on this point, and the two bikes will be the same until the end. This chassis will be the starting point for next year’s Ducati,” said the Turin native.
Ducati claims to give the same treatment to the two main title contenders, but this is obviously limited to this season. Martin’s move to Aprilia did not allow him to test the chassis in question on the Marco Simoncelli circuit. In fact, neither he nor any member of Pramac, who will move to Yamaha from next season, were able to enter the red bike’s team workshop, as usual during testing.
It is understood, however, that Ducati, under the leadership of Gigi Dall’Igna, its general director, deemed it appropriate to keep this asset for 2025, given that it was not worth burning that part (the chassis), when Martin and Pramac they are leaving and there is no competing brand pressing. When asked directly about the trust he has in Ducati, which will keep its promise until the flag in Cheste, the current runner-up has no doubts: “Ducati supports me 100%. My bike is perfect and I am convinced that it will be until the end of the World Championship.”
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