Enea Bastianini, the Italian rider, questioned Ducati's management. "If there isn't even one Italian rider left, that raises questions." The Italian regrets seeing the Borgo Panigale team turn to a Spanish duo (Marquez-Acosta). Andrea Iannone shares his disappointment. "I'm disappointed, but that's life. Gigi bases his decisions on performance." The Italian identity so often demanded of Borgo Panigale is now being called into question.
For decades Ducati It told a profoundly Italian story. An Italian motorcycle. An Italian factory. Italian engineers. And, very often, Italian riders to embody this identity.
From 2027 onwards, this link could disappear for the first time in the modern era. Marc Marquez et Peter Acosta will form an entirely Spanish duo, while Francis Bagnaia join ApriliaA symbolic break that did not escape the notice of Enea Bastianini.
Without directly attacking Ducati, the former factory rider reveals a genuine unease. When questioned about this development, bastianini never questions the talent of Marquez orAcostaHe's wondering about something else. About what Ducati is becoming.
« Many things have changed inside DucatiThere were many Italian riders in the Ducati fold, myself included. I imagine there are very specific strategies behind these choices."The approach is interesting. He doesn't talk about mistakes. He talks about strategy. In other words, this evolution is not accidental. It is deliberate."
Ducati no longer recruits symbols. Ducati recruits the best.
For a long time, national identity was almost part of Borgo Panigale's DNA. Andrea Dovizioso. Danilo Petrucci. Enea Bastianini. Francesco Bagnaia. All embodied this continuity.
Today, Luigi Dall'Igna applies a radically different logic. Nationality no longer enters the equation. Only performance counts. Marc Marquez represents the best available driver. Peter Acosta The greatest talent of his generation. Everything else becomes secondary.
The most powerful line from "Bestia" comes next. If there isn't even one Italian driver left, that obviously raises questions.This makes you think that something didn't work as it should have, but it's not for me to judge. »
bastianini does not say that Ducati He is mistaken. He is simply observing that such a situation was unthinkable just a few years ago. And he invites everyone to ask themselves: How did an Italian brand, a world champion, come to no longer entrust any of its official motorcycles to an Italian rider?
In reality, Ducati applies today exactly the same philosophy as Classic Ferrari for sale In Formula 1, the goal is no longer to defend a national identity. The goal is to win. If the two best drivers are Spanish, they will wear red. The factories remain Italian. But talent knows no borders.
For its part, Andrea Iannone adds a crucial nuance. The former pilot Ducati shares the disappointment of many fans. I'm disappointed, because there have been so many Italian riders at Ducati.. ». But he refuses to succumb to nostalgia. He points out that bagnaia et Ducati together they wrote one of the most beautiful pages in the modern history of the manufacturer.
« They achieved incredible results. We shouldn't focus solely on what was lost, but also on everything that was built together."A remark that avoids turning this debate into a confrontation between Italians and Spaniards."
Ultimately, the real question may not be whether Ducati still has Italian drivers. The real question is whether Ducati continues to produce the absolute benchmark in MotoGP. That's precisely what it's looking for Luigi Dall'IgnaHe's building a team capable of winning, regardless of nationality. This choice is consistent. But it inevitably comes at a symbolic cost.
Ironically, the Italian identity that Ducati abandoned seems to be reborn… at Aprilia. In 2027, Marco Bezzecchi et Francis Bagnaia will wear the colors of Noale. Two Italians. Two former VR46 Academy members. Two riders destined to become the new ambassadors of Italian motorcycling.
While Ducati globalizes its project, Aprilia It becomes, almost in spite of itself, the new sporting face of Italy. And perhaps that's the real upheaval, because it's not just the drivers who are changing garages. It's part of the identity of the MotoGP Italian who is changing sides.
