– The 2026 MotoGP season start provides plenty of talking points. Aprilia in particular is causing a stir with strong performance, while Ducati seems unusually vulnerable. For Livio Suppo, however, this is no reason for premature judgments.
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“One quickly forgets what Aprilia was when Massimo Rivola signed – clearly an underdog,” explains the former team manager at GPOne.com. The current strength is the result of continuous work. He particularly highlights the role of Fabiano Sterlacchini, who joined as technical director at the end of 2024.
“Fabiano is doing an excellent job. This is now the confirmation,” says Suppo. In addition: unlike financially strong manufacturers like Yamaha, Aprilia has always worked with more limited resources. “They always had a very close eye on the budget.” The current success is all the more remarkable.
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The depth of the field is also convincing in sporting terms. Not only is Marco Bezzecchi shining, but Jorge Martin is also making headlines: “His comeback is perhaps the biggest surprise.” Despite missed tests and physical problems, he is riding “incredibly fast.”
Ducati: Crisis or normal fluctuation?
Suppo puts the discussion about a supposed crisis at the previous industry leader Ducati into perspective with a wink: “If crises were always like this… I think Yamaha would sign up immediately, maybe Repsol-Honda too (laughs).”
In fact, he sees the causes for the currently weaker results more in the details: technical fine-tuning, different tires, and unusual tracks have distorted the balance of power. Basically: “If you want to further improve a very competitive motorcycle, it becomes even more difficult.”
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Suppo clearly rejects the criticism that Ducati oriented itself too much towards Marc Marquez: “The Ducati was never in Marc’s hands like the Honda was.” Unlike in the past at Repsol-Honda, there have always been several strong Ducati riders.
Suppo does not attribute the fact that Marquez, as the reigning MotoGP world champion, is currently falling short of expectations to a lack of motivation. “I don’t think he is demotivated or has lost determination,” says the former team boss. Rather, the Spaniard is simply “not in top physical shape.”
Marquez himself therefore does not blame the equipment for his current slump in form: “He says the problem is him, not the bike.” Whether this is out of pure team loyalty or conviction, Suppo leaves open.
He is more concerned about Francesco Bagnaia’s form: “It’s strange to see that he is again only fast in phases.” A second weak year in a row would significantly worsen the situation. “And for the fans, it’s a bit of a shame.”
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Nevertheless, Suppo warns: It is still too early for final assessments. “Before talking about a real crisis, I would wait for two or three more races.”
