Ducati warns “gap will narrow” after one rival “showed his strength” in Spanish GP
Ducati has won all race so far in 2025
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali has warned that “the gap will narrow” at the front of the field in MotoGP after Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo “showed his strength” at Jerez.
The Italian brand is in the midst of one of the most dominant periods ever in the premier class, having won the last three world titles.
In 2025, it has won every sprint and grand prix so far, with its streak of Sunday victories now standing at 22 after Alex Marquez took to the top step of the podium at the Spanish GP.
But one streak has now been snapped for Ducati in 2025, after Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo snatched pole from Marc Marquez at Jerez.
Quartararo then went on to finish second in the grand prix and was able to keep Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia at bay.
This caught the eye of Domenicali, who has warned that the competition is only going to get harder for Ducati.
“This achievement is a wonderful moment,” he said in an interview with GPOne.
“It’s the fruit of work that began a long time ago, with a good bike and strong riders.
“However, this Sunday Fabio Quartararo showed his strength and that means the other manufacturers are working hard, enjoying - among other things - the concessions.
“Not everyone remembers that we’re not competing in a championship with the same rules.
“In fact, there are manufacturers who have the opportunity to test with factory riders and develop engines, using more units.
“As a result, I think this gap will narrow, and the other manufacturers will also catch up with us.”
Concession regulations were reintroduced for the 2024 season to allow Yamaha and Honda to try to get back up the order.
But since the start of 2024, Ducati has only been beaten once by a manufacturer - Aprilia, at last year’s Americas Grand Prix.
Quartararo’s podium at Jerez marked the first for Yamaha since the 2023 Indonesian GP, which was also the last rostrum appearance for a Japanese bike until last weekend.
In recent rounds Honda has also enjoyed an upturn in form, with Johann Zarco scoring the marque’s first top five results since 2023.
In Qatar, Ducati was briefly challenged by KTM’s Maverick Vinales, who led for a handful of laps and took the chequered flag in second before being demoted to 14th by a tyre pressure penalty.
