Michael Scott | November 24, 2021
Cycle News In The Paddock
COLUMN
Is Ducati Domination Too Much of a Good Thing?
Ducati gave a lesson at Valencia–how to win, and win massively, when you’ve lost. The Bologna Bullets’ first-ever dominant podium lock-out added the team’s title to the constructors’. They went on to set fastest time at the first 2022 season tests (where the latest engines can be used) at Jerez later in the week.
Desmosedici’s ruled the world.
But when history looks back at 2020, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo will be the one who is remembered.
It’s the rider (to coin a phrase much enjoyed by Valentino Rossi) who makes the difference.
Ducati fans might think this a little unfair. But Ducati have only themselves to blame. Too many strong riders, enabled by the best racing bike in the world. It’s a tempting formula, but also a way of diluting your success.
The last GP of the year was an interesting case.
In 19 years in MotoGP, Ducati have won only twice at Valencia. Tight corners and no long straight were a recipe that didn’t suit the fast but persistently understeering bike. It took Troy Bayliss and Casey Stoner to overcome that—two exceptional talents taking advantage of circumstance.
Most times, however, the race has gone to Honda, with ten wins to Yamaha’s eight and Suzuki’s one, since the track joined the calendar in 1999.
Ducati’s response to tight tracks has, however, totally changed over the past two years. Hitherto the Duke’s main strength has been acceleration and straight-line speed. Now, a combination of adventurous innovation and solid engineering strength has wrought what Sunday winner Pecco Bagnaia called “a perfect bike.” It was his fourth win in the past six races.
Ducati Lenovo factory teammate Jack Miller went further. The Australian had dropped to fourth at Valencia then scythed back past 2020 champion Joan Mir’s Suzuki to badger early leader and pole starter Jorge Martin to the line, the trio past the flag in eight tenths of a second.
“With this bike, we’ve all been confident. We’ve found a great package that works fantastic, and we don’t have to touch it. I think that’s the thing; getting time on the same bike, as it’s been for two years.”
Underlining the point, Martin’s Pramac Ducati teammate Johann Zarco was sixth, less than two seconds behind flummoxed new champion Quartararo.
Only the sweet-handling Suzukis had challenged. Alex Rins fell off in the attempt, while Mir managed to threaten for a while in third, only to fall back and out of touch, flabbergasted at their performance.
By season’s end, Ducati were dominant. Yet in a way it was an opportunity lost. Three different Ducati riders won seven of 18 races. Yamaha riders won six races. But crucially, Quartararo won five of those. No Ducati rider won more than four.
Diluting the effort cost points to the individual riders, racing each other as well as the opposition.
Something similar happened in 2020. Three Yamaha riders won seven of 13 races. But this meant taking points away from one another. Joan Mir won the title by accumulating podiums at tracks that suited the Suzuki, and by not having to share the honors with other riders on the same bike. He only took a single win, but he didn’t have to give away any other valuable scores.
Ducati’s superiority has been achieved by innovations—the first to use wings, plus front and rear suspension squatting. Variable geometry that directly addressed the machine’s notorious reluctance to turn. It is a matter of clearly focused development. Strength maintained, weaknesses addressed.
Where Yamaha and Suzuki riders can enjoy well-balanced machines with a sophisticated blend of rounded performance, Ducatis offer particular strengths which may be more jagged, but pay dividends when used in anger.
Stable braking makes them hard to pass going into corners, fearsome acceleration and bounding top speed does the same on exit. The others might be smoother and even faster mid-corner … but so what? They’re stuck behind.
For next year, engine developments will be allowed. The others can try to catch up, but Ducati also have the chance to improve further. The same goes for other aspects. Ducati lead in all areas.
But another innovation may cost the riders dear: the acquisition of the Gresini team, along with Rossi’s takeover of the Esponsorama outfit, brings the number of Ducatis on the grid to eight. Against four Hondas, Yamahas and KTMs, and two each of Aprilia and Suzuki.
The quality of riders is as high as the horsepower figures: race winners Bagnaia, Miller and super-rookie Martin are backed by the likes of Zarco and the other 2021 super-rookie Enea Bastianini. Notably, they are mainly young riders, quick to adapt to changing technical requirements: witness the general strength of rookies this year versus the decline of veteran Rossi.
Ducati have a dazzling array of talent for 2022.
Will it prove to be too much of a good thing? CN
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