– The 2026 MotoGP season has so far been defined by the duel between Aprilia and Ducati. Aprilia has won four of the first six Grands Prix, Ducati only two. The Ducati dominance of recent years is over.
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After Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi achieved start-to-finish victories in the first three Grands Prix, leading every lap each time, he had to yield to Alex Marquez on the Gresini Ducati in Jerez.
Most recently, Fabio Di Giannantonio won the turbulent race in Barcelona with the VR46 Ducati, which had to be stopped twice. In the championship, Aprilia currently leads all three standings.
According to MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, the duel between Aprilia and Ducati is a close fight. He sees no clear advantage for either Italian brand.
“I don’t think,” Rossi says to Sky Italy, “that Aprilia is better than Ducati. In that sense: It is a somewhat different motorcycle, sometimes it can even work a little bit better.”
“But I also think that their two riders are really very good, especially Bezzecchi, because he developed this motorcycle enormously last year. He feels that it is his motorcycle. He has tailored it to himself.”
“Then Martin caught up. Overall, they are a very strong duo,” says Rossi. That is why Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin occupy the first two places in the riders’ world championship. Di Giannantonio follows as third in the championship.
The Ducati riders also had bad luck
Francesco Bagnaia’s third place in Barcelona was the first podium for the Ducati factory team this year. Across seasons, the red team had to wait ten Grands Prix for a podium.
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Rossi believes, however, that the factory team has been underrated: “The top Ducati riders had a few problems and some bad luck: On one hand Marc Marquez with his arm.”
“‘Pecco’ has shown good potential but was almost never able to convert it into results. But I don’t think Ducati is inferior. In my opinion, it is a competitive motorcycle that can win.”
“‘Pecco’ said something very interesting, namely that this Ducati GP26 must be understood because it is different,” says Rossi. “That was immediately shown by ‘Diggia’, as well as Alex Marquez in the last races.”
“I think ‘Pecco’ will get there too. They just have to set it up properly because it is a very competitive motorcycle that can win.” Di Giannantonio and the VR46 team have been able to realize this potential so far.
However, it is a difficult fight against Aprilia. Rossi believes that the pendulum already swung during last season and Ducati lost its advantage.
“Last year, the Ducatis were really superior to the others until mid-season. But then, from a certain point, especially in the second half of the season, the others came very close.”
“For us, who ride with Ducati, it was maybe nicer at the beginning, but for the championship, this is a very good thing. Because seeing all these different motorcycles in direct competition is much more exciting,” Rossi is pleased about the close competition.
