Duc💫ati’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 y🥂ea🐻r - rather than using the 2025 version.

Marc Marquez demonstrated what the old engine could do by smashi🅘ng his rivals at the Thailan🅷d MotoGP.

Ducati engine decision debated

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

“They t๊urned up with a 2025 engine that 🌠was tested in Sepang but the riders had reservations right away.

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

ꦅ“That comes when manufacturers change the inertia of the engine.

“They wen꧅t heavier, and it 🦩makes the bike feel sweet in acceleration, it flows better.

“But that means more inertia so, in the braking zones, you struggl♏e to stop the bike. I think that🍰’s what happened.

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

“Th♑ey decided not to take the risk, they de༒cided the 2024 was better.

“For us that’s great because th꧙ere are more Ducati ride▨rs with a similar package.”

Neil Hodgson said: “In the testing phase when they weཧre slightly unsure, they gave all Ducati riders the op⛎portunity to test the ‘25 engine.

“So it wasn꧙’t just feedback from the factory team. That’s the beauty of having six good riders.

“The general💯 🐎consensus was that the ‘24 was better.

“If they were allꦑowed to tweak the ‘25 they would’ve eventuall꧋y found a sweet spot.

“But we have got an engine freeze so🀅 you can’t change the spec of the engine꧑. It wasn’t worth the gamble.”

Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia are now committed to using the 2024♉ engine for the rest of the 2025 season.

Both factory Ducati riders admitted their preference to use the older version after trying both in pr🦩e-season testing.

Ducati remain the team to beat ahead of the second round in Argenti🌟na🔥 next week.