P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ducati has spent a year being virtually unbeatable in MotoGP. But it nearly lost the Qatar sprint and could easily be defeated by two rivals – one of which now has “F1 car” handling – in the grand prix
Heading into the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, Ducati was considered the favorite due to their recent success at Lusail circuit, with Jorge Martin leading the charge. However, Marc Marquez surprised by naming Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro as his pick for the race, praising his tire management skills. Despite winning the sprint race, Martin expressed doubts about his chances against Espargaro and KTM’s Brad Binder due to rear chattering issues on his Ducati. Both Martin and Pecco Bagnaia acknowledged the strong competition from KTM and Aprilia, with Bagnaia attributing his own struggles to rear tyre pressure spikes. The tight competition and technical challenges set the stage for a difficult and unpredictable race day in Qatar.
