Ducati makes light of Davide Tardozzi MotoGP ‘divorce’ rumours

Ducati has made light of a report that long-serving MotoGP team manager Davide Tardozzi could depart at the end of next season.

Citing “internal rumours”, Gazzetta.it suggested Ducati and Tardozzi may be heading for a ‘divorce’ following an alleged falling out with Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna.

The report claimed tensions stemmed from comments made by Tardozzi during the 2025 MotoGP season, in which he said the team had understood Francesco Bagnaia’s technical needs too late.

Factory test rider Michele Pirro, Pramac team manager Gino Borsoi and former Pramac and KTM manager Giacomo Guidotti were named as potential successors.

However, ahead of Friday’s end-of-year Campioni in Festa celebrations, Ducati appeared to mock the speculation by posting a social media image of Tardozzi and Dall’Igna in a staged confrontation, followed by a second photo of the pair laughing together, captioned: “Divorce? 💍 Discover more at 12.00 pm ⏰”

"Absurd and unfounded"

Speaking at the event, GPone.com quotes Tardozzi, 66, as saying:

“These rumours are absurd and unfounded. I know my relationship with Gigi Dall’Igna, Mauro Grassilli and Claudio Domenicali.

“We smiled, wondering why it came out, but I repeat there’s no basis for it… There’s no ‘internal rumour’… My relationship with Ducati is absolutely solid.”

Since retiring as a rider in 1992, Tardozzi has been a central figure in Ducati’s management structure, first in WorldSBK and later in MotoGP.

His only spell away from the Italian marque came in 2010, when he surprised by briefly joining BMW’s WorldSBK project.

However, he soon returned to Ducati, this time in MotoGP, where the factory team has won the title with Francesco Bagnaia (2022, 2023) and Marc Marquez (2025). 

In between, Jorge Martin won the 2024 crown for Pramac Ducati.