The 2023 season saw the title battle go down to the wire between factory team Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia and Pramac’s Jorge Martin.
Ducati riders locked out the top three in the standings, with eventual champion Bagnaia leading Martin and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi, while the brand scored 17 grands prix victories out of 20 with six of its representatives.
Towards the end of the season, Ducati repeatedly rejected suggestions it would have to manage the title battle through the use of team orders and insists nothing will change in how it treats all of its riders in 2024.
“It’s very clear. We have eight Ducatis who we treat in an honest way, in what they deserve and it’s written into the contract what they have,” Tardozzi told Autosport at the end of the 2023 season.
“They are able to see all the data of the all the other riders. But we will never, never stop one of the other teams against the factory team.
“They have the right to do the best, they have the right to have all the information to beat us.
“Then it’s up to us to have best riders and the best performance. It’s up to the factory team. Gigi [Dall’Igna, general manager] is Ducati and he has eight possibilities to win.
Source: Autosport