To understand Ducati compared to the competition, all we have to do is look at the overall constructors standings, in which the Ducatis are in the lead with 389 points, while the first pursuer, Aprilia, is at 208. Fresh from an eighth win in a row won in the last race weekend at the Red Bull Ring, the manufacturer from Borgo Panigale is preparing to win the World Championship, hands down.
A situation that, according to Pol Espargaro, KTM's wild card in Austria, is set to end. "At the moment, they're superior because of the great work done over the years and because of the information they have and that others lack. But we're working hard, and I'm convinced that, next year, their domination will end," he predicted, as reported by AS.
Reassured by the fact that every extra piece of data collected facilitates his growth, the rider from Granollers was keen to point out that, in the Austrian GP, the first bike at the finish line other than a Desmosedici was indeed an RC16: Pedro Acosta's. "We're the ones who suffered the least in comparison. But, actually, it's difficult to fight with them today," he said.
In 2025, the Italian manufacturer will lose the support of Prima Pramac, which switched to Yamaha. An opportunity the 33-year-old couldn't miss, and he welcomed the news as a relief. "They were able to enjoy eight bikes for a long time, when others had two or, at bes,t four. Fifty percent less is madness," he said.
Finally, he spoke about the prototype tested in Styria and revealed: "I don't know if we'll adopt it next year. I had used a different one at Mugello, so it could be a mix of the two solutions."