Ducati makes bold response to MotoGP engine decision
Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi says it is “b*******” Francesco Bagnaia discarded the marque’s 2022 engine for the season and was simply given a better-suited specification.
On Thursday evening ahead of the 2022 season beginning with the Qatar Grand Prix, Autosport reported that Bagnaia and factory Ducati team-mate Jack Miller had gone to a 2021-spec engine.
In testing in Malaysia Ducati brought three different specification of engine for Bagnaia to test: a 2021, a 2021 evolution and the 2022 version.
With the 2022 engine reportedly having aggressive power delivery, Bagnaia – and Miller by extension because of the technical regulations – has gone back to an older engine specification to race with for the new campaign.
But Tardozzi says Bagnaia “didn’t say the 2022 engine was wrong”, and the decision simply came about because the evolved 2021 engine is better-suited to both Bagnaia and Miller’s riding styles.
“I don’t know why people speaking about Ducati every time is blaming [us],” Tardozzi told motogp.com.
“Pecco didn’t say, '2022 engine is wrong, I want '21'. This is bullshit. I want to say this, because we just gave Pecco a different spec.
“You can have the possibility to manage the riding style towards the engine of the rider, and this engine is towards the riding style towards of Pecco and also Jack.
“The other guys were happy about a different spec, and that’s what happened.
“We know that another company [Honda] in Sepang had three different specs. Why not go to this brand and ask which one Marc Marquez has?”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: MotoGP
The Pramac duo and VR46’s Luca Marini, who are all racing 2022 bikes this year, will remain with the 2022 engine spec.
Because Ducati is a non-concession manufacturer, it will not be allowed to develop the engine in season as of FP1 in Qatar.
Commenting further on its engine situation, Tardozzi added: “I think we are happy about the rider’s choice and I think we gave to the riders the best possibilities we can.
“So, let’s see how the season starts and in the end we will see what happens.
“But it will be a very, very tough season because there are a lot of very, very competitive bikes.”
Share Or Save This Story
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
The hockey expansion rule that could benefit Andretti's F1 bid
What is holding back Bagnaia in MotoGP 2026?
Bagnaia undergoes successful arm surgery, targets MotoGP return at Silverstone
Hamilton, Toyota, Marquez: Three motorsport giants still writing history
Mercedes identifies Russell's F1 power unit software issue
Aston Martin's Hungarian GP upgrade is big – but not as big as F1 insiders expected it to be
The Red Bull seat nobody is talking about – and why that's the biggest compliment of all
Yamaha names experienced crew chief to oversee Martin's adaptation in MotoGP
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments