San Marino MotoGP: Ducati say “we don’t like team orders” but plan to assist Francesco Bagnaia’s title charge
Bagnaia is 30 points behind Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo, who leads the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:standings, after winning his fourth race in a row at the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:San Marino MotoGP.
There are six remaining - ra💦ising the possibility that Ducati could issue team ordeཧrs and use their numerical superiority to thwart Quartararo.
“We don’t like team orders but, obviously, we🌠 also have to think about winning the rider’s championship,” Ducati sporting director Ciabatti told BT Sport.
“We’ve o🌸nꦡly won once, with Casey Stoner in 2007, a long time ago.
“It is possible. We go to tracks where we will be competitive𒁏.”
Ducati have Enea Bastianini, Jﷺack Miller and Johann Zarco among their riders battling for podium spots and race wins.
Gr♑esini Ducati rider Bastianini engaged in a stunning final lap shootout with Ducati Lenovo’s Bagnaia at🍌 the San Marino MotoGP, which Bagnaia won.
It was a highly risky duel which might have backfired - and might have convඣinced Ducati to ask their riders not to r🎃epeat the wheel-to-wheel action.
Cia🐻batti said: “We won’t try any super-ag🐼gressive attacks on the last lap if we are first and second, because there is the risk that somebody will crash which would not be good for any of the riders!
“If somebody can win, maybe don’t try on the last corner to pass him. That’s what w🦩e need to clarify.”
With six rounds remaining, Quartararo’s main ho😼pes for victory could be at Phillip Island and Thailand.
“In principle, you may be right,” Ciabatti 𒁏said. “But we haven’t been to Phillip Island for years and our bike has improved.
“The bike has improved to the point whereꦫ it can be competitive anywherꦆe.”
Ciabatti reflected on Bagnaia’s win at Miไsano: “We needed to win and put as 🌠many bikes on possible [on top].
“T꧟he gap is now 30 points. There is still a long way to go but it’s going iꦿn the right direction.
“The last lap was more thrilling than we wanted!
“You ar🐷ꦛe so close to disaster in this situation [the last lap].
“We have memories from Argentina 2016 and we don’t want this repeated! Luckily it was okay, and two Ducatis were on the podiu꧒m.
“When you have a bike as competitive as Ducati last 𓆏year, the new bike tries to be a bit better.
“[Bagnaia and Bastianini’s] bikes are similar so it is the ridꦕer making the difference.
“T✤he 2023 bikes need to be better because we see Aprilia have made a big step and are 𒁃fast.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering evꩲerything from American sports, to football, to F1.
