The Italian manufacturer is the only one of the six in the current MotoGP field that is supplying bicycles to two satellite squads in addition to its factory efforts.
The long-term partner Pramac receives the full support of the Ducati factory. Both the current championship leader Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin operate identical machines as the works team duo Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia.
Ducati also supplies Avintia with two year old motorcycles, with all Ducati riders under contract directly with the Italian manufacturer.
Paolo Ciabatti speaks to the language version of Motorsport.com and says the goal is to continue racing six bikes in 2022.
“In our case, the idea is to continue with six bikes in the coming years, that is, with a second independent team,” said Ducati’s sporting director.
“It’s a system we’re very comfortable with. It’s also a way to keep some riders who we believe have the right to be in MotoGP.”
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Ducati’s desire to continue racing six bikes beyond this season depends on a number of factors, with the composition of the starting grid for 2022 still in flux.
The next season is the first of a new five-year contract cycle between MotoGP, the manufacturers and the independent teams.
Ducati, Yamaha, KTM and Honda have confirmed their stay in MotoGP after 2021, while the contract between the Association of International Road Racing Teams (IRTA), which represents the satellite teams, and Dorna Sports has already been renewed.
Avintia will no longer be available after 2021. At the end of last year, the team confirmed its decision to end MotoGP at the end of the current contract period.
Those two lattice spots are for a Valentino Rossi entry aiding Luca Marini’s side of the garage, with the rookie doing VR46 colors on his Ducati.
Gresini – the first satellite team to commit to MotoGP in 2022 – will no longer be Aprilia’s factory entrants for the next season. The Italian team appears to be the strongest competitor that has teamed up with Ducati.
Ducati’s hopes of continuing to run six bikes also depend on what Suzuki and Aprilia are doing about their own satellite operations.
Both brands currently only run two motorcycles, but both have expressed a desire to deliver a customer outfit from 2022.
The MotoGP starting field currently consists of 22 motorcycles, although this number is limited to 24. This means that satellite operations for Aprilia and Suzuki would discourage Ducati from continuing to use six bikes unless another independent team severed ties with their current maker.
Yamaha CEO Lin Jarvis confirmed earlier this year that the Japanese brand’s talks with satellite teams will focus on Petronas SRT – whose current three-year deal with the brand expires this year – and VR46. The talks are expected to begin in the next two months.
SRT boss Razlan Razali has not ruled out a connection with another brand or a collaboration with VR46 in 2022, but stressed that any future decision will be determined by Petronas’ wishes.
At KTM, Tech3 boss Herve Poncharal announced earlier this year that a new first draft contract had been submitted with the Austrian brand and that talks about extending their partnership were well advanced.