Engine management is crucial in MotoGP, and Ducati is a perfect example this season. With only four races remaining, Ducati riders find themselves in varying situations regarding the availability of their engines. Marc Marquez is the most restricted, having only four usable engines for the upcoming races in Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Valencia. All these engines have already been used, except the last one, which will necessarily be fresh for the race in Malaysia, as required by the regulations.
Chez Ducatieach driver has the right to
eight engines for the season. Once these eight units are used, they have no additional options, making management all the more important. Currently,
Marc Marquez is the most vulnerablehaving already removed two engines and exhausted almost all of its available units. This could limit his performance if mechanical problems arise in future races.
At the other end of the spectrum is
Jorge Martinwhich still has
seven engines in working orderwhich gives it a margin of safety. It has used six engines so far, but the last one, run-in at Motegi, was only used for testing. This situation offers him peace of mind, allowing him to push his Ducati without fear of running out of units at the end of the season.
Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia have enough Ducati engine to enjoy their duel
Pecco Bagnaiaanother contender for the title, is in an intermediate position, with six engines available. Another new engine will be released at Sepang, giving it a good margin for the final races.
As for the other Ducati riders, Enea Bastianini has six enginesfive of which are already well used, whileAlex Marquez et Fabio Di Giannantonio end up with five
engines each, most having covered many kilometers.
Marco Bezzecchifor its part, has
six units, which places him in a situation of relative security.
This engine limitation, imposed by MotoGP rules, aims to reduce costs while promoting reliability. The engines, sealed at the start of the season, cannot undergo modifications, which forces the teams to anticipate and plan their use with precision. This constraint makes each strategic decision essential to hope to remain competitive until the end of the season. The challenge for the teams is therefore to optimize the use of these engines to avoid failures and maintain performance until the end, a task where Ducati will have to excel to hope to win the title.
