If you’re a racing fan, you know that most types of racing are team sports. Outstanding riders (or, heaven forbid, drivers) are great, and definitely important, but they don’t do it all by themselves. While the 2021 MotoGP rider title race may have culminated in Fabio Quartararo’s first championship win at the Emilia Romagna GP on October 24, that’s far from the whole story of the 2021 MotoGP season. 

As all eyes turned to the final two MotoGP rounds of 2021, the paddock headed to the Algarve circuit in Portimao, Portugal. That’s where Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia won the day, with his Ducati teammate Jack Miller also ascending the podium in third place. That meant Ducati secured its third-ever Constructors’ World Championship title, and its second in a row. 

Interestingly, although the MotoGP calendar changes from year to year, the Algarve was also where Ducati clinched its second-ever Constructors’ World Championship title back in those hazy days of 2020. If you can’t recall exactly when the first title happened, don’t worry—it was 13 years ago, so up until 2020 was an uphill battle for the team, and one it eventually conquered. Bagnaia’s victory also cemented his second-place finish in the 2021 Riders’ Championship, with one race left to go in the 2021 season. 

"It's really a great satisfaction to be able to win the Constructors' World Championship again this year, and I'd like to thank our riders and all the men and women of Ducati Corse who have contributed to this incredible success,” Ducati Corse general manager Luigi Dall’Igna said in a statement. 

“We're still a little disappointed about the riders' title because it was really within our reach this year. Again today, Pecco rode a perfect race and didn't make the slightest mistake all weekend! It has been a great season, and he is a great rider. Congratulations also to Jack! We are happy that he was finally able to get back on the podium after showing he could be fast during the last Grands Prix,” Dall’Igna concluded. 

"I'm really happy! I would have liked to finish the race under the checkered flag and not under the red flag, but it was still a stunning victory,” Pecco Bagnaia added. 

“It was an incredible weekend, and I enjoyed every single session. Right from the start, I felt incredibly comfortable. Everything was perfect, and I'm really happy for Ducati for winning the Constructors' Title. We deserved it once again! Congratulations to Jack for his third place on the podium. Now we'll go to Valencia where we'll try to finish this season with another great result,” Bagnaia concluded. 

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