Ducati confirm Open class entry in 2014 MotoGP

Ducati had been debating whether to compete in either the Factory or new-for-2014 Open classes ahead of the two Sepang tests this month.

At the end of Sepang 2, Ducati announced that they would run under the Open class, which has more rule concessions than the Factory class in terms of engine use and development, but requires the use of control software for the bike's ECU.

Ducati said they carefully considered the two options, but decided that the most suitable one for their current needs was the Open option.

While seen in some quarters as an admission of defeat (ie. Ducati's factory-spec bikes aren't competitive against the Hondas and Yamahas), the decision does give the race department more freedom to continue the development of both the bike and the engine throughout the entire 2014 season.

If Ducati had chosen the Factory option, engine development would have been frozen from round 1, with no in-season engine development or testing permitted.

The Desmosedici GP14 bikes of both Ducati Team riders, Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso, have been entered into this year's championship under the Open option.

The other Ducati-contracted rider, Andrea Iannone, will race for Pramac Racing Team with the same bike and Open option as the Ducati Team riders.

Luigi Dall'Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager, commented:
"We have carefully studied the new technical regulations and have concluded that the Open option is the most interesting for Ducati, in the current situation.

"This year we have to keep developing our bikes throughout the season to improve our competitiveness, and the Factory option appears to be too restrictive for our needs.

"We are confident that the electronics package provided by Magneti Marelli and DORNA has very good quality and will allow the correct management of all the main functions of the bikes".

Images: Ducati Corse