Ducati’s Dominance Tested: Who Will Triumph at the Austrian MotoGP?

Ducati leads the pack for the Austrian MotoGP, yet the question remains: which of its riders will emerge victorious?

At the Red Bull Ring, Ducati boasts an impressive track record, with four of its racers currently contending for the lead.

Since 2016, Ducati has faced only two losses in Austria, which includes the pair of 'Styrian' races held amid the Covid pandemic. As they gear up for this weekend's MotoGP event at the Red Bull Ring, they come off a strong performance at Silverstone, where they secured seven out of the top eight positions in the previous race.

It's hardly shocking that the experts on the Crash.net Podcast believe the Desmosedicis will be formidable opponents come Sunday. However, the question remains: which of the riders will come out on top?

Podcast presenter Jordan Moreland remarked, "Following his experience at Silverstone, Bagnaia is aiming to make a comeback, having managed to secure a third-place finish in the Grand Prix as a form of recovery."

"He's aiming for a hat-trick of victories in Austria, a track where Ducati consistently shines. However, the question remains whether Martin or Bastianini can truly challenge him in this weekend's race?"

"From what you've said, Bagnaia and Martin are consistently at the top," responded Pete McLaren, the MotoGP editor for Crash.net. "However, as you pointed out, Bastianini remains the most significant uncertainty for me. Is he able to maintain his current form?

In Austria, the track's unique characteristics necessitate the use of updated rear tires featuring a stronger build. This slight modification could potentially benefit Ducati, especially in terms of rear traction.

"If tire wear becomes a factor, Bastianini would be the favored choice in such scenarios. However, surpassing Bagnaia and preventing him from securing a third consecutive win will be an extremely challenging endeavor."

When asked about the championship battle between Martin and Bagnaia, which has recently shifted to favor the Pramac racer by a narrow margin of 3 points, MotoGP reporter Lewis Duncan commented:

Prior to the summer vacation, I was completely convinced that Pecco would dominate this weekend. However, I had the same expectation for Silverstone, and it didn't happen.

"After Germany, I had anticipated that Martin's quest for the title might begin to falter. Yet, it hasn't."

In theory, the track's design, with its emphasis on intense braking and rapid acceleration out of turns, appears to favor Bagnaia's strengths. Similarly, this should theoretically benefit Bastianini too. However, forecasting Bastianini's performance is somewhat more challenging.

"Should the impressive performance seen at Silverstone continue, and if it's a genuine improvement, then it's likely Bastianini will be in a significantly better position.

"Clearly, Martin secured his first victory in Austria, demonstrating strong performance in this location. However, the previous year was somewhat messy for him, involving a collision at turn one during the sprint, whereas Pecco executed flawlessly.

"Indeed, the situation is delicately balanced, and as mentioned in last week's podcast, it seems to be a rather troubling scenario for Ducati concerning the championship standings, especially considering that two of their riders [Martin and Bastianini] are set to depart at the season's close."

"They genuinely require Pecco to deliver a few weekends of undeniable superiority to somewhat alleviate that issue. As Bastianini continues to show strong competition, it increasingly limits their ability to use him as a support rider."

"McLaren mentioned that Bastianini is uncertain about the KTM's performance for the upcoming season, yet he's aware of his current bike's high competitiveness. With half the season still to go, he believes Bastianini sees this as an opportunity to give it his all, essentially having nothing to lose."

"He trails Bagnaia by 46 points and is 49 points behind Martin. With 37 points up for grabs each weekend, a repeat performance of his Silverstone success could solidly place him in the contention for the championship."

Moreland inquired, "What would Ducati's reaction be if Bastianini and Bagnaia were involved in a mishap with each other? Especially considering they also need to be concerned about Jorge Martin?"

"Duncan mentioned in a recent article that Ducati ought to have instructed Bagnaia to yield to Bastianini during the Silverstone race," he expressed. "Given the current point in the season, it's more advantageous for the team if Bastianini, who has the speed to surpass Martin, is allowed to do so for the greater good."

"Looking forward, it's clear from the events of 2022 that Bastianini doesn't typically follow the expected team narrative. Despite Ducati not formally directing its riders, there was an implicit understanding that, except for competing for a win, Bastianini should defer to Bagnaia when it comes to podium finishes."

"Bastianini apparently missed the memo! Watching races like Malaysia had me watching through my fingers! It was clear there was a scenario unfolding where everything could just fall apart.

"Bastianini indeed possesses the trait of being ready to engage in a battle, showing a strong willingness to challenge Pecco whenever the chance arises."

"In the event of an unforeseen occurrence, Martin stands to gain significantly. Marc Marquez, too, could presumably reap some advantages."

Moreland stated, "Following the GP24 dominance at Silverstone, Marc Marquez seems to have slipped under the radar. He's trailing by 62 points in the championship standings. Although Marquez has performed strongly at the Austria track on his Honda, a victory has always eluded him there."

He's currently riding the motorcycle that triumphed on this circuit the previous year, yet he mentions he's lagging by approximately 4-5 seconds to outpace the GP24s across the total race length. Is a victory at this venue crucial for him to remain a contender for the championship?

"Seems like the championship is becoming a bit elusive, right?" McLaren commented. "However, it's going to be fascinating to watch his performance on the Ducati. Marc Marquez has claimed victories at nearly every circuit, and now he's competing on one of the top motorcycles at the Red Bull Ring."

"However, the GP24s possess an additional edge in acceleration, right? With their onboard ride height mechanism and the engine's horsepower, they truly appear to have an enhanced burst of speed coming out of the turns."

"In my opinion, Marc really needs to be more selective about the challenges he decides to take on. There are certain circuits where victory is within his grasp, and in those instances, he should absolutely seize the opportunity."

Currently, his greatest advantage is likely the fact that he isn't burdened by championship concerns, unlike Martin, Bagnaia, and possibly Bastianini.

"Marc should consider aiming for the championship in the coming year."

"Duncan chimed in, expressing his concurrence. He leaned towards selecting Aragon as the ideal weekend for Marc, highlighting its left-handed circuit which has consistently favored him."

"The GP24 topic is quite fascinating. Recently, Gigi Dall’Igna made some remarks concerning the GP23, stating that they will make every possible improvement to that motorcycle."

"I interpreted this as a subtle hint that if there's an opportunity to provide Marc with some support to reinforce Pecco and challenge the competition, they're willing to do so."

"It's uncertain whether they will be able to install the factory ride-height mechanism on his GP23, but it wouldn't shock me if they showed up in Austria with it potentially equipped on the motorcycle…"

"I'm confident that Marc will bring his competitive edge to the track this weekend, especially if he starts strong from Friday."

"He highlighted that the issue this season is largely due to being 'behind schedule' throughout the Silverstone weekend. This, he explained, stems from the fact that they come to every race without any prior data available for him for that circuit."

When examining his position at Silverstone on Friday compared to his final standing on Sunday, the team of Marquez and Frankie Carchedi deserves significant recognition.

"I continue to believe the GP24s will hold an advantage in Austria, but we'll have to wait and see."

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