Ducati’s decision over their engine was the key topic in ☂pre-season MotoGP testing.

They opted to stick with their 2024 engine - which dominated the championship last year - rather than usin♕g the 2025 version.

Marc Marquez demonstrated what the old engine could do by smashing his rivals at the T💝hailand MotoGP.

Ducati engine decision debated

“The situ༺ation is that the 2024 bike is that good, that they didn’t manage to improve it,” TNT Sports’ Sylvain Guintoli🦩 said.

“They turned up with a 2025 engine that was tested in Sepan✱g but the riders had reservations right away.

“They felt the bike was one step better in the acceleration phase but two steps worse in﷽ the braking.

“That comes w🌊hen manufacturers change the inertia of the engine.

“They went heavier, and it makes the bike𒈔 feel sweet in acceleration, it flo𝔉ws better.

“But that means more inertia so, in the braking zones, you strug🎀gle to stop the bike. I th♕ink that’s what happened.

“They tried and tried with th🐎e setup but when the DNA of an engine is a certain way, it’s very hard to change it.

“Th꧑ey decided not to take the risk, they decided the 2024 was bꦬetter.

“For us that’s great because there are more Ducati riders 𒁃with a similar package.”

Neil Hodgson said: “In the testin♏g phase when they were slightly unsure, they gave all Ducati riders the opportunity to test the ‘25 engine.

“So it wasn’t just feedback from the fac🦄tory team. That’s the beauty of having six good rid𓆏ers.

“The general conse✃nsus was that the ‘24 was better.

“If they wereꦚ allowed to tweak 🐻the ‘25 they would’ve eventually found a sweet spot.

“But we have gotꦏ an engine freeze so you can’t change the spec of the engine. It wasn’t worth the gamble.”

Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia are now committed ꧙to using the 2024 engine for the rest of t༒he 2025 season.

Both factory Ducatಞi riders admitted their preference to use the older version after trying both in pre-season testing.

Ducati remain the team to beat ahead of theꦿ second round in Argentina next week.