Unlocking Ducati’s Potential: Bagnaia and Marquez on the Revolutionary 2020 Engine Brake Customization

Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez highlight the significance of tailoring engine braking on the Ducati, stating, "Our bike's adaptability to various riding techniques is largely due to this customization."

Numerous hypotheses exist regarding the specific time and reasons the Ducati Desmosedici emerged as the most versatile motorcycle in the MotoGP lineup, demonstrating its ability to clinch victories with various riding techniques.

However, for the current world champion Francesco Bagnaia, the pivotal moment occurred in 2020.

In his debut season with Pramac, the Italian rider ranked 15th in the championship, while Ducati's leading racer, Andrea Dovizioso, secured the second place in the championship behind Marc Marquez for the third consecutive year.

Staying on with the Pramac team but receiving the newest version of the Desmosedici, Bagnaia emerged as a significantly more formidable competitor in 2020.

The #63 rider quickly achieved his first podium finish and battled for wins, even after an early-season leg injury, earning a spot on the factory team for the next year.

Considering the time when the Ducati evolved into a motorcycle better suited for corners, moving away from its previous focus on speed in straight paths, Bagnaia shared his thoughts:

The perspective shifted for the engineers once they realized that Ducati riders exhibit various riding styles, a revelation that came about in 2020.

"In 2019, the dynamics between works teams and independent teams were markedly distinct from the current scenario."

"The main issue I faced was with the braking; it was challenging to control the engine brake as I desired."

"Right after we began making adjustments in 2020, by tailoring the engine brake to each rider's needs, we saw a significant improvement in our performance."

"I was employing a drastically different engine brake configuration than Dovizioso, who was the standard."

"Once we began that process, we observed a bike that was making turns, a bike demonstrating considerable speed in corners."

"The beneficial aspect of our current bike model is its versatility, allowing it to accommodate a wide range of riding preferences."

"Our system isn't limited to a single configuration: not just one type of engine braking or power output, and so on. We offer a variety of options because each rider requires personalized settings, and we're constantly refining these for our own needs every weekend."

Marc Marquez, who joined Gresini Ducati from Honda this season, emphasized that adjusting the engine braking to match his riding preferences is a critical focus at every race.

"Upon reaching every circuit, we possess the previous year's data from the Ducati riders, yet when it comes to engine braking, each rider's approach is unique," remarked the eight-time world champion.

"And this is why we dedicate additional time to properly establish it, in accordance with my approach."

Marquez secured his initial wins on a Ducati by triumphing in both the Aragon Sprint and the Grand Prix.

The Spanish rider will bypass the GP24 model and directly transition to a GP25 next season, joining Bagnaia as a fellow team member at the official team.

In response to a question regarding potential enhancements to the present model of the Desmosedici, Bagnaia provided his insights:

"Although achieving the ideal bicycle is unattainable, there are instances where we find ourselves lacking the grip we used to have, and this is an issue I've brought to the engineers' attention."

Heading into this weekend's race at Misano, Bagnaia is trailing Jorge Martin, another GP24 competitor from Pramac, by 23 points, while Marquez is in third place, 70 points away from the lead, on his GP23.

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