German MotoGP: Ducati not 'one of the favourites' but Miller, Bagnaia confident
Is the Ducati Desmosedici the most 'complete' bike on the 2021 𓆏MotoGP grid?
While Fabio Quartararo leads the world championship for Yamaha, Ducati riders are queued up behind him in seco♒nd (Johann Zarco), third (Jack Miller) and fourth (Francesco Bagnaia).
With the unlikely exception of Mugello (fourth), a Ducati rider has finished first or second in every race so far and although Miller is the factory's only race winner, all four riders on the latest GP21 - including rook💙ie Jorge Martin - have featured on the podium.
But if any circuit can underline the completeness of the GP🦂21 package it's the Sachsenring, venue for this weekend's German MotoGP.
While Duc🧸ati's main strengths are in a straight line - acceleration, to💮p speed and hard braking - the Sachsenring is the slowest track (for maximum speed) on the calendar, the bike is barely upright for the twisty opening half of the lap and there are only two major braking points.
As suc🍬h, Ducati has just a single MotoGP win at the Sachsenring, by Casey Stoner in 2008, and only one podium in the last ten years, a third by Andrea Dovizioso in 2016.
Can the likes of Miller and Bagnaia end that rostrum drought this weekend and c𝕴ontinue to show that the Desmosedici is a force to be reckoned with at all circuits?
"Ducati isn't one of the favourites at this circuit, but this year we've managed to be competitive even on 🤡tracks that should have been difficult for us," said Miller.
"My feeling with the Desmosedici GP continues to be very good, so I'm confident that I can fight for 🎉another good result at this Grand Prix."
"We're at the penulti⛦mate race before the summer break. It's a crucial moment for the Championship, and it w🐻ill be crucial to get a good result this weekend," added Bagnaia.
"Sachsenring is definitely not one of the best tracks for our bike's specifications, but I am confident th🦩at we can do well this year.
"As always, it will ⛎be importa♍nt to be competitive right from the start of the weekend! I can't wait to get right back to work with my team”.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Ros🐎si come and go. He is at the 💃forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
