How Ducati’s Aragon MotoGP win harks to its past and its future
Duelling against Marc Marquez at the Aragon Grand Prix, Francesco Bagnaia came out on top to secure a long overdue MotoGP victory. As Marquez likened Bagnaia to a Ducati title contender of old, it appears the Italian rider could finally start to fight for wins on a more regular basis
“I fought many times against [Andrea] Dovizioso. Pecco was the same as Dovizioso, with a bit more corner speed.” Marc Marquez’s comment after losing out in an epic duel to Francesco Bagnaia in last Sunday’s MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix was an extremely pertinent observation on a significant weekend for Ducati.
Bagnaia headed team-mate Jack Miller for the marque’s first 1-2 in qualifying at Aragon since 2018, when Jorge Lorenzo headed Dovizioso. Back then, Ducati had already kicked its prospective future world champion to the kerb, while cracks in the relationship between Dovizioso and team management were already beginning to show.
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Lewis Duncan is Autosport's International Editor and primary motorcycle racing reporter. A motorsport fan from a young age, Lewis became interested in journalism when he won the star letter competition in the February 2012 issue of F1 Racing Magazine. A member of the Autosport Academy from 2017, Lewis became a freelance motorcycle racing correspondent for Autosport in 2019 before becoming a full-time staffer in 2020 as International Editor.
While MotoGP coverage is his priority, Lewis also covers World Superbikes and road racing across the Motorsport Network, and hosts the Tank Slappers Podcast. He has also occasionally commentated on 750 Motor Club meetings. Away from motorsport, Lewis is a keen record collector with a collection unashamedly largely featuring Iron Maiden and Rush and an avid guitar player.
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