Ducati expect Honda retaliation

Ducati technical guru Filippo Preziosi reckons there’s an easy way for the likes of Honda to avoid a repeat of their humiliation in Qatar.

Asked how much personal satisfaction he took from hammering Japanese rivals in the opening 800cc race and how he expected their rivals to retaliate, Preziosi joked: “For sure it was very satisfying for me.

“But we have to understand it is just one race and we have a big respect for our competitors. They are a lot bigger than us with more technology.

“If they want they could ask their material departments, software departments and electronic departments to help them develop.

And he added: “I was on in the internet last week and I saw that the net profit of the Honda Motor Company last year was 12 times the total value of Ducati. So every month just with profit they could buy Ducati and destroy it. So if they want to solve the problem they can!”