This year Ducati, in addition to his salary, will also have to pay Marc Marquez for victories, which are usually only included in the contract at €100,000 each. It is likely, however, that Borgo Panigale has already found the extra budget to manage an exceptional season.
For wealthier collectors and MotoGP fans, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is looming. This coming November, the specialized website iconicauctioneers.com will put up for auction a true jewel of recent motorcycle history: the Ducati Desmosedici GP19 with which Andrea Dovizioso fought for the 2019 championship, winning two key victories.
This fireball, representing the pinnacle of Borgo Panigale's technology that year, is closely linked to one of the Italian rider's most brilliant seasons. Dovizioso, then an official rider for the Ducati Factory team, used this bike to dominate the inaugural Qatar GP, edging out Marc Marquez by more than 0.2 seconds in a thrilling finish.
But the most memorable feat, and perhaps one of the most iconic of his career, came at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. In another last-gasp duel with his Repsol Honda opponent, Dovizioso replicated the Qatar strategy: he hid in his slipstream until the last lap and overtook Marquez at the last corner with a masterful pass, giving Ducati a home victory in front of Audi management.
The GP19 up for auction is the bike actually used in those races and numerous other Grand Prix races during the season. Powered by the powerful 270-horsepower Desmosedici Stradale engine, equipped with a carbon frame and the latest Öhlins suspension, this bike is a symbol of an era of great competitiveness for Ducati. The 2019 season saw Dovizioso finish second in the world standings for the third consecutive year, again behind the phenomenon Marquez, but confirming himself to be his closest and most tenacious rival.
The offer is all the more attractive because the bike is complete and fully functional, equipped with everything needed to be started up and admired in all its glorious roar. Certifying its authenticity and historical prestige is the signature of the then Ducati Corse Sporting Director, Paolo Ciabatti.
The price? As expected, it is mind-boggling. The initial estimate is set between 500,000 and 750,000 pounds (about 585,000 to 877,000 euros). An "Uncle Scrooge" investment, as suggested, to come into possession not only of a racing motorcycle, but of a piece of motorcycle racing history that has written unforgettable pages. The appointment is for November to find out who will win this legendary piece of Italian engineering.