Industry Insider: Economy Pushes Ducati to Cut Satellite Salaries in Half

Ducati will be reducing the salaries of their riders Teams expected to take the hit include Ducati’s satellite team Riders who snatch championship laurels can expect a hefty salary increase in reward for their first-class efforts

Today, we look at how Ducati’s reacting to our economy – and what that could mean for their rider salaries.

Ducati wants to save money on the circuit

Ducati’s triumphs in MotoGP 2023 may have been the icing on the cake to join an additional title of “Best Employer” for this year, but the festivities don’t necessarily mean the brand has extra money to burn; in fact, a recent bit of news pulled by Motorcycle Sport’s Bernardo Matias shows the opposite. 

Who will be affected by Ducati’s pay cuts?

According to the coverage, Ducati will be tightening the proverbial belt on salaries paid out to their satellite teams, possibly even members of factory teams who are pumping out lower results on the MotoGP board. 

Here’s a quote on the matter from somebody simply titled “a senior member from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer:”

The global economic situation is not very stable right now, due to the wars and conflicts that are ongoing. What Ducati doesn’t want is to commit to paying amounts that may be difficult to meet in one or two years.  It’s important to note that we sell 60,000 motorcycles per year, which puts us in a different position from Yamaha and Honda, for example.” – A senior member of Ducati (Motorcycle Sports)

What do the pay cuts mean for Ducati’s successes?

If you’re worried about Ducati’s presence on the asphalt, don’t be. The brand relies on its role in the circuit to promote what’s coming down the proverbial pipeline and also to continue to push their reputation as Borgio’s best. 

Instead of looking at Ducati’s decision to cut salaries in the negative, consider the cut to be more of a restructuring. Riders affiliated with Ducati will now make tons more money if they win, whereas previously, Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini, and Martín’s salaries were all the same. 

How much does Francesco Bagnaia – 2023’s MotoGP champion – make?

Albert Valera (Jorge Martín’s manager) tells us that Francesco Bagnaia makes more than his Team Red comrades. He is locked in around €7 million ($7.58 million USD) for his contract, with the potential for that amount to skyrocket to €10 million ($10.83 million USD) if he wins MotoGP 2024. 

Bottom line, Ducati’s salary value is tied closer to speed than ever before – a reasonable move, considering Ducati’s gunning harder than ever to be the best.

What do you think of Ducati’s decision to cut their riders’ salaries and pay more to title winners?

*Media provided by MotoGP*