The Op♏en class softer rear tyre is a viable MotoGP race choice for Du꧂cati.

That 𓄧was the verd🏅ict of Bridgestone chief engineer Masao Azuma, after three of the five Ducati riders raced with the tyre in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

Althoug▨h Factory entries, Ducati riders are currently allowed to benefit from the Open class con🎃cessions - including the softer rear tyre.

While official team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow chose the medium rear compound at Mugello - the same as the Factory Honda and Ya✤maha riders - the other Desmosedicis of Andrea Iannone, Yonny H🌞ernandez and wild-card Michele Pirro ran the soft.

Front row starter Iannone used the extra grip to battle at the front in the early laps and came c✃lose to finishing as the top Ducati, only losing sixth to Dovizioso on the very final ♛lap.

"It was interesting that Iannone selected the soft rear slick at Mugello, as he also selected the softer rear option at Le Mans but unfortunately crashed early on in the race s♔o we couldn't find out what his potential on this tyre was," said Azuma.

"This time at Mugello, Iannone, Pirro and Hernandez selected the soft compound rear slick, with Ia♏nnone and Hernandez achieving top-ten finishes so it seems this tyre option worked well f⭕or them.

"In the early stages of the race, Iannone was very competitive so his choice to go with the soft compound rear seemed the right one for him.

"Our feedback from the riders was that the soft compound rear slick performed very well at the start of the race ♔and over race distance, the loss in grip was predictable. As expected, in the final laps of the race the soft rear option perhaps suffered more than the medium compound, but the advantage it offered at the start of the race more than made up for this.

"There is no doubt that the softer rear slick is𓆏 a viable race choice for the Ducatis at many circuits.

"Perhaps the information Ducati acquired at Mugello where three different bikes completed race distance on the soft compound rear slick will enable them to devise strategie𝕴s𓄧 to gain even more performance from this option."

Dꦏovizioso has claimed Ducati's only podium of🌟 the year so far, in Austin.

If Ducati riders claim a race win, two second places or three podium places in dry conditions, they will have their race fuel reduced from 24 to 22 litres. 💫Should Ducati win three racesﷺ they will also lose the softer rear tyre.

The Open conces𒆙sions are available to any Factory manufacturer without a 🐭dry victory in 2013 (only Ducati) or any new manufacturer joining MotoGP (Suzuki in 2015) and will remain in place until the start of the new control ECU era in 2016.

2016 will also see Michelin replace Bridgestone as MotoGP's exclusive t♍yre supplier.