MotoGP - Portuguese Grand Prix - Algarve International Circuit, Portimao, Portugal - March 26, 2023 Ducati Lenovo Team's Francesco Bagnaia as marshalls push his bike after the race REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo/ File Photo
(Reuters) - After a Ducati bike won 19 of the 20 rounds of the 2024 MotoGP season, the big question is whether their rivals can make up ground on the Italian manufacturer that has won the last five constructors' titles with ever-increasing dominance.
When Ducati claimed the title in 2020, they beat Yamaha by 17 points. This season Ducati won 722 points and sealed the constructors' title with six rounds to spare while the next best manufacturer was KTM with 327.
Having more bikes on the grid than any other constructor has also helped but Ducati had the superior machine in all aspects, with six different riders achieving 53 podiums this year.
Although the factory team missed out on the riders' championship when Francesco Bagnaia failed to accomplish a three-peat with the Desmosedici GP24, his rival Jorge Martin of Pramac Racing - riding the same bike - showed it was virtually untouchable.
Together, Martin and Bagnaia smashed lap records across circuits around the world and took the title battle to the final round where Martin clinched his maiden MotoGP crown having fallen short at the same stage a year ago.
The GP24 was way ahead of any other bike and it was six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez's skills on the older GP23 in his debut season on a Ducati that enabled him to finish third in the standings and earn a move to the factory team next year.
"2024 was a stratospheric year for Ducati," Ducati general manager Luigi Dall'Igna said.
"We broke the record for victories and the record for podiums, with the cherry on top of having placed eight Desmosedici GPs in front of everyone in the sprint race in Thailand."
Ducati's superior top speed and their aero package have left Yamaha and Honda far behind. Despite MotoGP's concessions, the Japanese manufacturers have been unable to catch up.
For the first time in over half a century, no Japanese bike won a Grand Prix while the best rider with a Japanese constructor was Yamaha's 2021 MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo, who finished 13th in the standings.
STARK REALITY
The stark reality hit home as Honda swallowed their pride to seek outside help and appointed a European as a technical director for the first time when they signed Aprilia's long-serving Romano Albesiano.
Yamaha did the same when they hired Max Bartolini in the hope he can not only bring his experience from working with Ducati but also institute a change in culture in a team which has often resisted quick changes.
Next season will also see a big reset on the grid as several riders swap teams, including MotoGP champion Martin who has made the switch to Aprilia following the factory Ducati team's decision to sign Marquez.
With Aleix Espargaro retiring, Aprilia will have an all-new lineup when Marco Bezzecchi teams up with Martin.
Jack Miller failed to impress at KTM this season and the Australian has returned to Pramac Racing, who have switched to Yamaha bikes after inking a multi-year partnership.
His seat on the KTM team has been awarded to rookie Pedro Acosta who consistently outperformed the factory machines on a satellite team bike to finish sixth in the standings.
All of them will have their work cut out, however, as Ducati will have Bagnaia and Marquez -- with eight MotoGP titles between them -- leading their quest for a sixth straight constructors' title.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
