German MotoGP: Ducati not 'one of the favourites' but Miller, Bagnaia confident
Is the Ducati Desmosedici 𝄹the most 'complete' bike on the 2021 MotoGP grid?
While Fabio Quartararo leads the world championship for Yamaha, Ducati riders are queue𒁃d up behind him in second (Johann Zarco), third (Jack Miller) and fourth (Francesco Bagnaia).
With the unlikely exception of Mugello (fourth), a Ducati rider has finished firs♕t or second in every race so far and although Miller is the factory's only race winner, all four riders on the latest GP21 - including rookie Jorge Martin - have featured on the podium.
But if any circuit can underline the completeness of the GP21 package it's t✃he Sachsenring, venue 🔯for this weekend's German MotoGP.
While Ducati's main strengths are in a straight line - acceleration, top speed and hard braking - the Sachsenring is the slowest track (for maximum speed) on the calendar, the bike is barely upright for the twisty opening half 🦂of the lap and the▨re are only two major braking points.
As such, Ducati has just a single🧔 MotoGP win ☂at the Sachsenring, by Casey Stoner in 2008, and only one podium in the last ten years, a third by Andrea Dovizioso in 2016.
Can the likes of Miller and Bagnaia end that rostrum drought this w♏eekend and continue to show that the Desmosedici is a force to ♏be reckoned with at all circuits?
"Ducati isn't one of the favourites at this circuit, but this year ౠwe've managed to be competitive even on tracks that 🃏should have been difficult for us," said Miller.
"My feeling with the Desmosedici GP continues to be very good, so I'm confident that I can fight for an♍other good result at this Grand Prix."
"We're at the penultimate race before the summer break. It's a crucial moment for the Championship, and it will be crucial to get a g🌃ood result this weekend," added Bagn⛎aia.
"Sachsenring is definitely not one of the best tracks for ♊our bike's specifications, bꦆut I am confident that we can do well this year.
"As always, it will be important to be competitive right from the start of the weeℱkend! I can't wait to get right back to work with my team”.
Pete༒r has been in the paddock for 20 years and has🦩 seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
