Luca Marini: 8 Ducatis? The riders learn from each other

The obvious advantage over factories such as Aprilia and Suzuki, which have only two entries, is the increased technical data.

But VR46’s Luca Marini feels it’s not just the number of bikes that’s important but having so many competitive riders, meaning even the fastest Ducati rider can always learn something from the others.

Title leader Francesco Bagnaia (6), factory team-mate Jack Miller (1) and Gresini’s Enea Bastianini (4) have won races this season, with a Ducati finishing either first or second in 16 of the 18 rounds so far (and third in the other two).

Six different Ducati riders have featured on the podium - Marini and Gresini rookie Fabio di Giannantonio have taken best finishes of fourth and eighth respectively - with all eight qualifying on the front row.

“No, not a problem!” smiled Marini, when asked about Aleix Espargaro calling Ducati’s current strength ‘ridiculous’.

“It's racing. For example, Honda dominated for 10 years and nobody was complaining. [The others should] just spend more money or make a better job, to improve.

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“I think that Aprilia made a huge step and Aleix needs to be proud and happy about what they have now, because from behind the bike is incredible, really strong - like every bike in this moment in MotoGP.

“It’s having so many fast riders and strong riders in Ducati that makes the difference, in my opinion. Because in every track, every rider has a strong point, a strong corner and when you see the data of each rider, you can improve a lot.

“So you can improve your bike, but you can [also] improve your style and we are pushing each other every weekend a lot.

“I think that it’s just for this that Ducati is also stronger. For sure they've made an amazing job; their engineers are the best, the bike is the strongest, is the fastest. But also they have, in my opinion, the best rider now.

“Aprilia they are only two. They have less data. Maybe sometimes Aleix is faster than Maverick [and] he cannot understand in which way he can improve [more].

“While every time, I can check a corner by Pecco, Jorge, Bez, Enea, Miller, Zarco because everybody is strong. Also di Giannantonio sometimes is really strong. So you can have a look on the data and the rider can take out two-tenths or three-tenths more in pace that make the difference for winning a race or not.”

After scoring 41 points during the opening nine rounds of the season, Marini has claimed 70 in the last nine.

“I think from Sachsenring, maybe also Mugello, I was often in the top positions,” said the young Italian. “It’s first of all the setting of the bike. We started the season with a completely new crew, completely new team, new bike.

“We needed some time because testing [opportunities] are very low and when you are in FP1, FP2 you have a lot of rush because you want to be in Q2, because if you're not in Q2 the race is f**ked.

“I think that also I improved as a rider. Sure, I improved my riding style, for example tyre management. Now I'm much better compared to the beginning of the season and also I'm braking harder, later.

“But it's something that comes together with the feeling on the bike, so with the setting and with the electronic side of the bike that helped me to express myself better on track.”

Marini, who has finished in the top-six during seven of the last eleven races, is currently 12th in the MotoGP standings behind Bagnaia (1st), Bastianini (4th), Miller (5th), Zarco (7th) and Martin (8th) while ahead of rookies Bezzecchi (14th) and di Giannantonio (20th).

Ducati will continue to support four teams in MotoGP next season, although only the Official squad and Pramac will have the latest Desmosedicis, with VR46 and Gresini on year-old bikes.

Meanwhile, with Suzuki leaving, Yamaha will become the only manufacturer with only two bikes on the grid, due to RNF switching to Aprilia.