Ducati warned that “two less” bikes next year will allow “a more even fight”
“I am🅷 so happy that, next year, there will be two less on the grid"

Ducati’s dominant Sunday at the German MotoGP was a result of having more bikes than t🌺heir rivals, it is claimed - but they won’t have such an advantage next year.
The departure of🐟 Pramac to Yamaha means Ducati’s presence will be re꧅duced in 2025 from eight bikes to six.
On Sun🐭day at the Sachsenring, factory Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia won the grand prix ahead of Gresini duo Marc and Alex Marquez, after Pramac’s Jorge Martin fell out of the lead.
Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli scrapped to fourth an𒐪d fifth.
A day earlier, Trackhouse Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira and🌺 Raul Fernandez qualified in second and third. Oliveira finished the sprint race in se💦cond.
Broadcaster Simon Crafar insisted: “This is a perfect example of Ducati 🌠having eight machines on the grid.
“They always fight back each day.
ꦛ“You see it on a Saturday, they take a step forward.
“No other brand could stay with the💜m, and they🍌 could [on Saturday].
“Ducati, with their electronics, took a ste🔜p forward [on Sunday].”
He added: “It’s so clear that, with eight bikes and eight technꦏicians, crew chiefs and riders, working to Saturday from Friday’s information, and then on Sundays, they always take a step forward.
“I am pretty sure it’s an electronic area. As w🧸ell as, for example, Pecco’s bike didn’t hav꧂e the adjustments that it had [on Saturday].
They are non-stop finding a way forward.
“I am💟 so happy that, next year, there w🤪ill be two less on the grid.
It 💟gives a more even fight be𓂃tween the other manufacturers who can’t seem to make the step.
“It’s not a lack of knowledge on the manufꦇacturers’ part. It’s having so much more information with eight bikeಌs.”
Bagnaia’s victory on Sunday allowed him to overtake Martin in the MotoGP standings, ♚to lead the pack.
Martin was closing in on victory when he crashed out, with Bagnaia’s superior m♒anagement of his tyres eventually winning out.
“I can’t help b🅺ut to feel sorry for Jorge,” Crafar said.
“It was so clear that theyಌ played their aces differently. Pecco said that when Jorge fought back and ran away, [Jorge] was doing his big push then, using his tyres.
“It was clear to see Pecco being careful.
“Then🦂, in the last period, it was Pecco’s turn to use what was left from his tyres.
“People will say it w⛦as gifted to Pecco. But it was a clever race from him.
“He knew how easy it was to make a mistakeܫ from that front tyre, in the last part, under🔯 pressure. He just kept that pressure on, piling it on.
“Frankie was using the tyre to stay w🐟ith them, to fight, but didn’t have enough ♛left at the end.
“The big thing to t🉐ake out of it: Pecco managed it pౠerfectly.”

James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade coverin♕g everything from American sports, to football, to F1.