In a tense paddock, Davide Tardozzi delivered a strong rant on Friday. Tired of all discussion centering around Ducati's technical choices and comparisons—particularly the idea that Francesco Bagnaia rode a GP24 at Misano—he referred the question to his rivals, especially Honda. He also said he was "surprised" by VR46's statements about the test.
Uccio Salucci had claimed that Bagnaia had taken Morbidelli's GP24 for a test at Misano. VR46 even said it was part of team solidarity. Tardozzi reacted strongly: " I was very surprised by Uccio's words »
« All official drivers can choose from a series of available partsThe driver composes his own mixture to regain confidence. At present, there are some differences, but the important things like the engine and chassis are the same »
In other words: yes, bagnaia could have used a different setup, but Ducati denies full GP24 alignment as a major strategic plan. Everything is presented as a matter of combining existing parts rather than reproducing the old machine word for word.
The nervous tone of the response goes beyond simple image control: Tardozzi adds another layer to the technical debate. He did not hesitate to turn the question around: " we always talk about Ducati — GP24, GP25… But Honda, what chassis does it have? What has it done? »
Ducati factory rebels against Davide Tardozzi and demands respect
His dig is direct: Ducati wants us to talk as much about what her opponents are doing as about what she herself accomplishes. He adds: " we want to talk about Marc's championship, Pecco's race, without what or with what »
In the background, an image war is being played out: Ducati no longer wants to be seen as the factory that spreads technical rumors, but as the behemoth that sets the pace — and demands to be observed, not just scrutinized.
The debate around the GP24 test is partly instrumentalized: Ducati agrees to recognize certain shared or borrowed components, but refuses to let people believe that Bagnaia has taken a complete leap backwards.
Asking Honda's question, Davide Tardozzi recalls that Ducati no longer wants to be alone in the technical pillory. It wants progress - or lack thereof - to be Honda be put on the table.
Such a posture also shows the internal pressure felt at Ducati: bagnaia had lost confidence, and the factory had to resort to “mixed packages” to get him back on his feet. A tacit admission that pure GP25 was not enough to restore his feeling.
Si Ducati dominates the season, the end of the year will also be played out on the ability of bagnaia to stay regular. Valentino Rossi et VR46 want to make people believe that they have weight, and Ducati responds that she does not need to be defended.
Tardozzi no longer wants rumors dictating the narrative. By firmly denying that bagnaia “piloted the GP24” as a public strategy, he draws a line: we test parts, we adjust, but we must not misinterpret the choices. The attack against Honda reinforces this positioning.
Ducati is no longer in the technical guarantee or the debate on retrograde parts. It wants to be judged on its results and its authority. And it is already preparing for war. MotoGP of 2026, where every syllable of press release, every rumor of testing, and every piece shared will count.
