Casually, Ducati created a historic sensation in Qatar by announcing that its official motorcycles would not use the 2022 version of the engine developed during the winter. This final evolution will, however, indeed be made available to sister motorcycles placed in the satellite teams and in particular at Pramac. Thus, and for the first time in the history of Grands Prix, the most advanced motorcycle from a manufacturer will not be in its factory box, but in its allied private structures. And everyone seems happy for the moment...
The history of Grand Prix is made up of complaints from private teams always regretting not having in time the latest developments that the manufacturer, with whom they have made an agreement, has developed and logically uses first. It is even a tradition among Honda while at KTM and at Ducati, we have always sought fairness. But the Italian firm has done better this season: it is to its satellite teams that it will provide its 2022 engine which the official team will do without, having chosen a hybrid opus, supposed to bring together the best of the version 2021 and the best finds for 2022.
Certainly, but who says latest version undoubtedly means a more complicated start but then a more significant margin for progress which makes us forget the previous generation... A logic which makes Pramac say that there is an opportunity to play for the title, or to dominate the sister motorcycles in red. At the house of John Zarco, we can read : " as for me I want to continue with 2022. I don't know what they did in the factory team and what the drivers wanted, but for me, there is more potential ».
Ducati Pramac: “We always want the most up-to-date motorcycle, and in this case it's the 2022. New things will always be better”
George Martin, who announced that he was aiming for the crown which would be the key to taking the place of Jack Miller, we consider this surprising strategic choice as a real opportunity: “ we have work to do, especially in acceleration, but this engine has more potential than the previous one » assures the Spaniard. Regarding brand companions bagnaia et Miller, he adds : " I don't know exactly why they changed. Of course, in terms of settings and electronics it is now a little different ».
George Martin insists: “ now, Zarco, Marini and I are working hard to find the right path : it will take time, but we will arrive » and he emphasizes that “ we always want the most up-to-date motorcycle, and in this case it's the 2022. Ducati wants this engine to work, it's the basis for the next few years ". He finishes : " he seems to have more power, but we haven't been able to prove it yet. As long as we can't exploit it, we will stay a little at the level of the previous engine ».
But how did we get there? The answer is perhaps given by Fonsi Nieto who makes his debut this weekend in his new position as sporting director of Pramac Ducati: “ we follow the evolution of Ducati, we trust Gigi and the team behind him. Everything they did worked ". And he explains: “ after the Malaysian test, the drivers drove after being out of service all winter, it's a contact test. And then there was the Mandalika test which was useless. It only served to create doubts in the heads of the pilots, and there were almost no conditions for rolling them. We are with Ducati 100%, they have shown that everything they do, it works, maybe not today, but in two or three races. New things will always be better ". When the 2022 version begins to reveal itself, Ducati will he let his red motorcycles be beaten by the Pramac machines and Marini ?
