By winning the GP of Spain with Álex Márquez, Ducati equaled the record of 22 consecutive victories of a manufacturer in the queen of the Grand Prix Moto. This reference had been established by Honda almost three decades ago, at the time of the 500cc.
The series produced by the Japanese brand covered the 22 rounds disputed between the GP of Malaysia 1997 and the GP of the Netherlands 1998. It owed a lot to Mick Doohan, with also success of Álex Crivillé, Taddy Okada, Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa
Since the establishment of MotoGP in 2002, no one had yet managed to push the limits to this point. Ducati has succeeded by being undefeated since this same Grand Prix of Spain last year. As in the case of Honda, these 22 victories will have been won by five different pilots: Pecco Bagnaia (11), Marc Márquez (6), Jorge Martín (2), Enea Bastianini (2) and therefore álex Márquez (1).
“This accomplishment is a very beautiful moment”, commented Claudio Domenicali in Gpone after Jerez’s race. “It is the fruit of a work from afar, with a good motorcycle and strong pilots.”
The victory of Álex Márquez (Gresini Racing) at the GP of Spain was the 22nd consecutive Ducati in Grand Prix.
Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
And the managing director to recall that Ducati is the least advantaged manufacturer by the regulations, because it is deprived of any form of concessions: “Not everyone remembers that we do not dispute by a championship with the same rules. There are indeed manufacturers who have the possibility of testing with official pilots and developing engines, using more. I therefore think that this gap will be reduced and that other brands will also reach our level.”
The series acting as a record only takes into account the Sunday victories but it would be necessary to add the successes obtained in the Sprint format: Ducati is at 20 consecutive victories, APRILIA having been the last brand to win in these short races during the GP of Catalonia, last year. It is also the Noale motorcycle which was the last to beat the Desmosedici on Sunday, in Austin, a month and a half earlier.
Anyway, Ducati is therefore on the way to breaking the absolute record for consecutive victories that a manufacturer could have obtained in 500cc/MotoGP. The Grand Prix de France, this week, gives it a golden opportunity, with a 23rd victory in a row which would simply be historic.
“Our opponents have shown what they were capable of”, cautiously recalled Gigi Dall’IGNA in his post-race column in Jerez, “What obviously does not surprise us and makes our challenges and this wonderful sport between more exciting: this is the recall that we must constantly work hard to raise the level of our performances and make our fans happy.”
