Ducati faces MotoGP dilemma as GP25 is scrapped

Ducati faces unexpected setback as the GP25 fails to outperform last year’s championship-winning bike.

Marc Márquez of Spain and Ducati Lenovo Team exits the pit lane during the first day of the 2025 Thailand MotoGP pre-season test at Buriram International Circuit in Buriram on February 12, 2025. Photo by Manan Vatsyayana/AFP

By Randy Ahmad and Yuni Utomo

Ducati Corse’s MotoGP situation is both enviable and revealing. While its rivals struggle to catch up, the factory team from Bologna finds itself in an unusual predicament—forced to abandon its latest development and revert to last year’s bike. The GP25, which was meant to push Ducati’s dominance even further, has proven to be a disappointment. Instead, the team has decided to continue using the GP24, the same machine that secured them the championship in 2024.

Ducati’s unexpected reversal

After an extensive winter testing period, Ducati’s efforts to refine their bike for another title challenge in 2025 have amounted to nothing. The GP25 was intended to bring improvements across various performance metrics, but it failed to deliver meaningful gains. With no significant advantages in acceleration, braking, or top speed, the team concluded that their best option was to stick with the GP24 for another two years.

The decision was made after just five days of pre-season testing. It all began in Sepang, where Alex Marquez, riding last year’s Ducati GP24 for Gresini Racing, unexpectedly topped the timesheets. Marquez, who had only briefly tested the new bike, delivered a performance that raised serious questions about Ducati’s development direction.

Rider concerns and testing struggles

Factory riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia had already expressed doubts about the GP25’s engine. They found that the supposed improvements failed to translate into better performance. Despite an increase in power, the crucial aspects of feel, stability, and confidence were lacking.

When the team arrived in Thailand for the next phase of testing, the concerns deepened. Over two more days of evaluation, Ducati riders came to a startling realization: the GP25 chassis was not an improvement either. By the end of the test, the team had no choice but to abandon the new development entirely.

Rather than presenting this as a failure, Ducati has framed it as an affirmation of the GP24’s excellence. Bagnaia, the reigning world champion, reinforced this perspective by stating, “We are still improving the GP24.” However, the setback presents a golden opportunity for Ducati’s competitors, particularly Aprilia and KTM, who are looking to close the performance gap.

Historical precedents in MotoGP

Ducati’s decision to revert to an older bike is unusual but not unprecedented in MotoGP. The history of motorcycle racing is filled with instances where teams and riders had to take a step back to move forward.

In 1984, Freddie Spencer abandoned Honda’s problematic NSR V4 midway through the season, opting instead for the older three-cylinder NSR that had won him the 1983 title. Similarly, in 1992, Wayne Rainey switched from Yamaha’s latest chassis to a previous version built by Harris in the UK due to handling issues. Kevin Schwantz faced a similar scenario in 1994, reverting to an older Suzuki RGV chassis after the new model proved problematic.

Ducati’s long-term implications

While Ducati’s decision may raise eyebrows, it highlights an important reality of high-level competition—technological advancements are not always linear. False starts, dead ends, and unexpected setbacks are a natural part of engineering progress.

Rather than ridiculing Ducati for its U-turn, it is worth acknowledging their willingness to take risks and their honesty in recognizing mistakes. Their decision to abandon the GP25 and continue refining the GP24 shows their confidence in their existing package.

For rival manufacturers, this development offers hope. It signals that Ducati’s lead is not insurmountable and that other factories still have an opportunity to catch up. As MotoGP prepares for the new 850cc regulations in 2027, Ducati’s current dilemma could be an encouraging sign for teams like Honda and Yamaha, who are working to regain lost ground.

For now, the rest of the grid remains in pursuit, but Ducati’s unexpected reversal proves that even the most dominant teams face challenges in maintaining their superiority.