Ducati Admits 2025 Package Could Improve as Rivals Close In

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio concedes that Ducati's 2025 setup "could have been better" amid intensifying competition from manufacturers like Aprilia. Sportrik's comprehensive analysis explores Di Giannantonio's insights following his second-place finish at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, where Ducati secured 16 grand prix wins despite pre-season hurdles.

Ducati is on track to claim the triple crown at the end of 2025, propelled by Marc Marquez's commanding performances with the factory squad. With three rounds remaining, the team has amassed 16 grand prix victories on the GP25 and GP24 models. Pre-season woes, however, included uncertainties surrounding the GP25's new engine due to a two-year development freeze, leading to reliance on an evolved 2024 specification. While Marquez excelled, Francesco Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio exhibited inconsistency on the GP25, highlighting opportunities for refinement.

This adaptation underscores Ducati's strategic flexibility under regulatory constraints, consequently shifting emphasis to fine-tuning the current package while gearing up for future advancements.

Di Giannantonio highlights the rapid progress of Ducati's rivals, with Aprilia particularly closing the performance gap and poised to field the grid's top bike by season's end. "I think definitely our competitors are working in a great way," he remarked post-Australia. "We saw that every manufacturer is closing the gap with us. We knew Ducati had a big gap to the other manufacturers, but now Ducati is closer, or even ahead of us." He also noted gains by Honda and Yamaha, exemplified by Fabio Quartararo's five pole positions this year.

Such developments were anticipated; Ducati's long-standing edge has spurred collective innovation among opponents, thereby reshaping the grid's competitive landscape. Thus, Di Giannantonio stresses, “For sure, we have to work. For sure, the work we’ve done this year could have been better. But, it’s part of racing, it’s part of the game.”

As part of the expansive Ducati and VR46 ecosystem, Di Giannantonio remains upbeat about the team's efforts. "We are a big team - me, VR46 and Ducati - and we are working so hard to make our bike always better and better and better," he affirmed. Attention now turns to the 2026 machine, where he eagerly anticipates potential enhancements to sustain or widen the lead. This involves rigorous collaboration among riders, engineers, and leadership, a hallmark of Ducati's sustained excellence.

Furthermore, Di Giannantonio's tenure with VR46, renowned for nurturing young talent, enriches his viewpoint on team evolution. Accordingly, 2025 serves as a valuable lesson in honing long-term tactics.

Although Ducati leads MotoGP in 2025, Fabio Di Giannantonio's acknowledgment of improvement areas reaffirms the team's dedication to innovation amid fierce rivalry. Eyes set on 2026, Ducati is primed to defend its supremacy. Track the latest MotoGP updates and top-team analyses via Sportrik's insightful coverage.