Open class tyre 'viable race choice' for Ducati

The Open class softer rear tyre is a viable MotoGP race choice for Ducati.

That was the verdict of Bridgestone chief engineer Masao Azuma, after three of the five Ducati riders raced with the tyre in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

Although Factory entries, Ducati riders are currently allowed to benefit from the Open class concessions - including the softer rear tyre.

While official team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow chose the medium rear compound at Mugello - the same as the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders - the other Desmosedicis of Andrea Iannone, Yonny Hernandez and wild-card Michele Pirro ran the soft.

Front row starter Iannone used the extra grip to battle at the front in the early laps and came close to finishing as the top Ducati, only losing sixth to Dovizioso on the very final lap.

"It was interesting that Iannone selected the soft rear slick at Mugello, as he also selected the softer rear option at Le Mans but unfortunately crashed early on in the race so we couldn't find out what his potential on this tyre was," said Azuma.

"This time at Mugello, Iannone, Pirro and Hernandez selected the soft compound rear slick, with Iannone and Hernandez achieving top-ten finishes so it seems this tyre option worked well for them.

"In the early stages of the race, Iannone was very competitive so his choice to go with the soft compound rear seemed the right one for him.

"Our feedback from the riders was that the soft compound rear slick performed very well at the start of the race and over race distance, the loss in grip was predictable. As expected, in the final laps of the race the soft rear option perhaps suffered more than the medium compound, but the advantage it offered at the start of the race more than made up for this.

"There is no doubt that the softer rear slick is a viable race choice for the Ducatis at many circuits.

"Perhaps the information Ducati acquired at Mugello where three different bikes completed race distance on the soft compound rear slick will enable them to devise strategies to gain even more performance from this option."

Dovizioso has claimed Ducati's only podium of the year so far, in Austin.

If Ducati riders claim a race win, two second places or three podium places in dry conditions, they will have their race fuel reduced from 24 to 22 litres. Should Ducati win three races they will also lose the softer rear tyre.

The Open concessions are available to any Factory manufacturer without a dry victory in 2013 (only Ducati) or any new manufacturer joining MotoGP (Suzuki in 2015) and will remain in place until the start of the new control ECU era in 2016.

2016 will also see Michelin replace Bridgestone as MotoGP's exclusive tyre supplier.