Eye-opening stat at Czech MotoGP is a headache for Ducati's Gigi Dall'Igna
Questions for Ducati to answer after Czech MotoGP
A stat from the Czech MotoGP has shone a light on the diminishing dominance of Ducati.
Only two Ducati riders were inside the top 10 as MotoGP returned to Brno.
Only winner Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia, who finished fourth, were riding Ducatis.
It is the first time in 66 races that Ducati have had only two riders finish inside the top 10 of a premier class grand prix.
That encompasses the first 11 rounds of 2025, the entirety of 2024 and 2023, and much of 2022.
The fifth round of 2022, the Portuguese MotoGP at Portimao, is the last time that Ducati were represented so scarcely.
Back then, the top 10 was:
Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
Johann Zarco (Ducati)
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia)
Alex Rins (Suzuki)
Miguel Oliveira (KTM)
Marc Marquez (Honda)
Alex Marquez (Honda)
Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati)
Pol Espargaro (Honda)
Maverick Vinales (Aprilia)
It is important to note that Ducati had eight riders from 2022 to 2024. But only five in the 2025 Czech MotoGP (Franco Morbidelli, their sixth rider, was missing due to injury).
Alex Marquez then crashed out, and a penalty robbed Fermin Aldeguer of a top 10 finish. Only Fabio di Giannantonio was off the pace. So Ducati came close to retaining their record of at least three riders inside the top 10.
Ducati dominance in MotoGP
After Quartararo won the 2021 MotoGP title on a Yamaha, the stronghold of Ducati began to take shape.
By the midway point of 2022, the Italian manufacturer had established itself as the best bike on the grid.
Bagnaia delivered their first title in 15 years in 2022, then followed it up in 2023. He lost out last year to Jorge Martin who had equal machinery in the Pramac team.
For much of the past three years, the manufacturer has had the most coveted machinery in the sport. They have rejuvenated Marquez’s career after his spell on a below-par Honda.
But this season the factory-spec Desmosedici has encountered problems.
In pre-season they abandoned the newest version of an engine when neither Marquez nor Bagnaia were content with it.
The GP25, it soon became clear, had more issues to fix than last year’s bike.
Although Marquez is dominating the season, he is appearing to do it by making the difference through his own genius.
Bagnaia and VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio have found the GP25 difficult to master.
The GP24 - by contrast - has allowed Alex Marquez to edge Bagnaia.
But the presence of only two Ducatis inside the top 10 at Brno has highlighted the rise of their rivals, too.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi has won a grand prix this season and is regularly the top non-Ducati rider. His teammate Martin’s return was also impressive.
KTM had three riders inside the top 10 including injury replacement Pol Espargaro.
Yamaha had two, factory rider Fabio Quartararo and Pramac’s Jack Miller.
Only Honda failed to put a rider inside the top 10 at the 2025 Czech MotoGP.
In this article
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
