Luigi Dall’Igna shares how Ducati sponsors felt about Pramac winning the 2024 MotoGP title

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Ducati continued their dominance in MotoGP in emphatic style in 2024 by winning all but one race all season.

The Bologna-based manufacturer scored 722 points across their eight riders last season. Ducati beat nearest rivals KTM in the manufacturers’ standings by almost 400 points.

Factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia won 11 of those races. However, while the manufacturer did win the riders’ title, the victor was not from the main team.

Jorge Martin became the first independent team rider to win the MotoGP Championship as he beat Bagnaia by 10 points with satellite Ducati team Pramac.

Luigi Dall’Igna says Pramac title win was ‘complicated’ as Ducati sponsors pay to be linked to the main team

Martin only won three races all season but was off the podium just four times. Bagnaia’s three retirements ultimately cost him as his rival’s consistency gave him the edge.

Naturally, Ducati would like to see the factory team succeed. After all, as general manager Luigi Dall’Igna puts it, their sponsors ‘pay to be linked to our brand’ and therefore view them as ‘more important’.

But speaking with the Spanish edition of motorsport.com, Dall’Igna says it was always his ‘philosophy’ to have the independent teams fight for the title. By his admission, Martin’s championship win made things ‘complicated’ with the sponsors.

Asked how he decided to allow independent teams to battle for the championship, he said: “That was always my philosophy.

“Giving Ducati riders the best possible material also raises the overall level of the system, and the factory team benefits from that as well. If one rider is faster, the others will follow.

“It is always complicated, because there is always a more important team and, in this case, it is the official one, because the sponsors pay to be linked to our brand. But the victories, in reality, if you analyse it well, the victories serve everyone. We are the team that has always fought for the title, since 2021. All those who have trusted us have obtained the visibility they were looking for.”

Can Ducati be as dominant in 2025 without Pramac?

Ducati will be looking to continue their dominance in 2025. However, they will have to do it with two fewer bikes on the grid.

Pramac have parted ways with the Bologna-based manufacturer and have become Yamaha’s satellite team. Bagnaia says Pramac’s exit is a big loss for Ducati as they will find it challenging to keep their dominant run going with six riders.

Along with Pramac, Ducati have also lost defending champion Martin. The Spaniard was snubbed of the second seat at the factory team by Marc Marquez.

Marquez’s ‘beastly’ pull as a six-time champion ultimately gave him the seat over the 26-year-old. Martin has made the switch to Aprilia alongside fellow Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi.