– The defeat at the home race in Mugello hurts Ducati. While Aprilia triumphed with a double victory on a track long considered Ducati territory, team manager Davide Tardozzi draws a ruthless conclusion after the Grand Prix and openly acknowledges the current strength of the competition.
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“The balance is that it hurts, quite clearly. But you have to say: They were better than us,” explains Tardozzi after the race on Sky Sport Italia. “Since the start of the championship, they have been stronger than us. That’s why we are working to enable Marc and Pecco to fight with them for the win.”
The Ducati team manager emphasizes that, from his point of view, the riders are not the problem: “I don’t think the speed of the riders is up for discussion.” As for the motorcycle, Aprilia is currently “unfortunately a little ahead of us,” he admits, but at the same time assures: “I have absolute confidence in Gigi [Dall’Igna] and his engineers that we will catch up on this deficit.”
Mugello was an important benchmark for Ducati. According to Tardozzi, the race weekend clearly showed where the brand from Borgo Panigale currently stands.
“Yes, I would say Mugello made us understand exactly how big the gap is,” he explains. “I believe it is two to three tenths of a second. Above all, we understood in which phase of the lap they are somewhat more powerful than us.”
Tardozzi: Marquez needs time
Another big topic was the physical condition of Marc Marquez, who returned from his injury break. He did not show the aggressiveness in the race that usually characterizes him. According to Tardozzi, this was a conscious decision.
“As for Marc: He managed, he didn’t want to overdo it. Of course, we know that Marc is more capable than what he showed. But it was right to bring the motorcycle to the finish without risking too much and to wait for the right moment when the physical condition is back.”
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Also Mauro Grassilli, sporting director of Ducati Corse, confirms that Marquez’s physical condition initially raised questions: “From my point of view, I can say that Marc’s physical condition on Friday was somewhat worrying because Marc was actually not at one hundred percent.”
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“We first had to understand how he could manage the entire weekend after the first day,” explains Grassilli. “It went significantly better than we expected. Of course, a shoulder injury worries us because that is always something serious. But he is moving in the right direction with his recovery.”
Looking at the tightly scheduled race calendar and the immediately following Grands Prix, Tardozzi does not want to dramatize the discussion about Marquez’s fitness.
“There is no need to worry, you have to wait and be patient,” he says. “I believe we are just as aware as Marc that it takes time. The only thing we can do is improve from race to race. When he is fit again, Marc will show all his speed,” he is convinced.
Has the knot burst for Bagnaia?
The conclusion about Francesco Bagnaia is positive. The two-time world champion spoke after the race, in which he finished third on the podium, about progress in the area of electronics. Tardozzi confirms this assessment.
“As for Pecco’s motorcycle, I would say we have taken a small step forward,” says the Ducati team manager. “Electronics have always been one of our strengths. That’s why we have worked on it and improved.”
Photos: MotoGP: Grand Prix of Italy (Mugello) 2026, Grand Prix
Nevertheless, the starting position remains challenging for Ducati. After Aprilia had already impressed on various track types in recent weeks, Tardozzi currently sees the competition as the reference in MotoGP.
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When asked what role Ducati could realistically play in the further course of the season, the Italian answers remarkably openly: “I believe that Aprilia is currently superior. That’s why it will take some time to catch up with them.” A clear statement after a weekend that once again made it clear to Ducati how big the task is in the fight to return to the top at the moment.
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