Ducati has announced a pause in the development of its 2024 MotoGP bike, the GP24, as the championship battle between Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia intensifies with just four races remaining in the season. Currently, only 10 points separate the two riders in the standings, prompting Ducati to focus on allowing them to compete with familiar machinery as the title race heats up.
Bagnaia recently secured his eighth victory of the season, completing a flawless weekend at the Motegi circuit last Sunday. Arriving in Japan with a 21-point deficit, he managed to recover 11 points, underscoring the closeness of the championship battle against Martin, who is vying for his first MotoGP title.
Ducati’s decision to halt the GP24’s development appears to stem from a commitment to fairness and equality between the two competitors. The last significant upgrade for the bike occurred two months ago at Silverstone, which involved modifications to the fairing on the lower sides.
Despite Martin’s impending departure to Aprilia for the 2025 season, Ducati executives have assured that he will have access to the same tools as Bagnaia for the remainder of the year. Both riders’ contracts with Ducati are identical regarding development, meaning Ducati must make any advancements available to all four riders on the GP24, including Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli.
As a result, Ducati will reserve its most recent testing innovations from the Misano collective test for the GP25, rather than implementing them on the GP24. Bagnaia confirmed this, stating, “Our bike will stay as it is until the end of the season. It’s a pity because it could have made a difference.”
Furthermore, Martin’s transition to Aprilia has prevented him from testing the new chassis at the Marco Simoncelli circuit. Unlike previous seasons, members of Pramac, who will switch to Yamaha next year, were unable to access Ducati’s garage for testing purposes.
When asked about his confidence in Ducati’s commitment to maintaining fairness throughout the season, Martin expressed optimism, saying, “Ducati is backing me 100%. My bike is perfect, and I’m convinced that it will stay that way until the world championship is over.”
As the championship race unfolds, all eyes will be on Martin and Bagnaia as they battle it out for the prestigious MotoGP title.
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