After the opening seven rounds of last season, new factory Ducati team rider Danilo Petrucci was fourth in the standings with three successive podiums, including a debut MotoGP victory at Mugello.
Factory Ducati riders Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso were only tenth and 15th fastest on combined times at the end of MotoGP pre-season testing in Qatar, but it bears little reality to their race potential.