The inaugural weekend of MotoGP 2024 was marked by a spectacular comeback from Ducati at the Qatar Grand Prix, contrasting with their position as the third force after the sprint. Despite Jorge Martin's victory in the first Saturday race of the year, it was indeed KTM and Aprilia, with Aleix Espargaró in the spotlight, who were seen as the contenders for victory on Sunday...
Difficulties with malignant vibrations encountered by Ducati during the sprint and the sustained pace ofI will espargaro at the end of the race had thus put the tenors of the Borgo Panigale brand in a delicate position. However, the reaction of Ducati Sunday was dazzling, reaffirming their dominance with a victory and six Desmosedici among the top seven, Brad Binder de KTM being the only one to infiltrate their rank in second position...
« The change of strategy after the sprint was crucial ", told Pecco Bagnaia, the winner of the Grand Prix at Losail. Starting from the second line, he had to be more offensive from the start. “ My goal was to take the lead on the first lap. Sprinting taught me a lot », he adds, emphasizing the importance of an early attack to then manage the race.
Ducati and Pecco Bagnaia understood in Qatar that the best defense was attack
bagnaia explains that after an efficient start, he took care to preserve the rear tire, even adjusting his driving style slightly to avoid finding himself under pressure " as Brad got closer, I had to accelerate to maintain my position. Otherwise, I aimed for consistency “, he says, revealing a strategic adaptation to counter vibrations at the end of the race.
His distinguished colleagues chose a more conservative tactic, hoping to win at the end of the race. However, this strategy did not bear fruit… “ I should have pushed from the start »Regrets Enea Bastianini, finishing fifth after hoping for a faster pace at the end of the race.
George Martin shares this feeling. After a good start, he opted for careful tire management, a decision he considers wrong in retrospect: “I still had good tires at the end, but it was too late to go back ", he admits, recognizing that the early attack of bagnaia had changed the situation.
This first race demonstrated that Ducati, despite the challenges, remains a dominant force in MotoGP, capable of adapting and triumphing. The next step to Portugal will once again put Gigi Dall'Igna's men in the position of favorites, but the lessons of Qatar show that racing strategy remains decisive for success.
MotoGP Qatar J3: ranking
Championship after Qatar (1/21):
Credit classification motogp.com
