Ducati appeared more vulnerable than expected in the tabloid format race at Qatar’s Lusail International Circuit. Despite Gino Borsoi’s admission that the rear chatter issues were not resolved, Ducati’s rivals were unable to capitalize on this weakness. Ducati finished with an impressive 1-3-4-5-6-7, with Pecco Bagnaia securing a comfortable win.
The expected challenges faltered for two reasons. Aleix Espargaro, riding for Aprilia, was expected to have the late-race pace to dominate the competition. However, his poor start off the line hindered his chances of victory. The Aprilia struggles to match the launch capabilities of Ducati and KTM. In the grand prix, Espargaro dropped from fifth to tenth place due to rear tire issues.
Espargaro expressed frustration with his performance, noting that the rear tire lacked traction from the warm-up lap. He described the race as a nightmare, with slow lap times and poor acceleration. He hinted that there may have been an issue with Michelin tires but did not explicitly blame them.
KTM rider Brad Binder, who finished second, did not have the late-race advantage that Espargaro was expected to possess. His rear tire was heavily worn by the end of the sprint, forcing him to pace himself throughout the race. Despite this, Binder acknowledged Bagnaia’s strong performance and consistency.
Bagnaia’s victory was attributed to his early race strategy. He overtook Binder and Martin on the first lap and maintained a comfortable lead throughout the race. He made setup adjustments and rode in a smoother manner to preserve tire longevity. Bagnaia’s lap times remained consistent, with minimal variation from lap to lap.
Although Ducati was not invincible in Qatar, Bagnaia’s exceptional performance secured the win.