Ducati already at a crossroads: Marc Márquez uncovers the real problem

Ducati is back on the podium at the Brazilian GP, but in the Red garage they’re seeing the glass as half empty. Fabio Di Giannantonio finished third, ahead of Marc Marquez, leaving a bitter aftertaste in the Borgo Panigale camp, especially in light of Pecco Bagnaia’s crash in Sunday’s race. For Noale it’s the first 1-2 of the MotoGP season, their second consecutive victory. The reigning champions are starting to feel the breath on their necks from their Italian “cousins”...

Davide Tardozzi, Lenovo Ducati team manager, congratulated Aprilia, already on a strong rise since the second half of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship. “They’ve made a big step forward recently, so we can only congratulate them,” admitting that the Desmosedici GP26 “is losing something in some areas.” Gigi Dall’Igna and his team are aware of the issues and are already working on them ahead of the next stop in Austin. “It’s clear that Aprilia has done an excellent job and it won’t be easy.”

The Texan circuit is Marc Marquez’s good-luck charm par excellence, even if victory is never a given. It will be a real litmus test for the Red bikes. “I think Aprilia will still be competitive in Austin, but I’m sure Ducati will be closer. They’ll be very strong at Jerez too, but we can get nearer. We know the problem and we’re looking for a way to solve it,” Tardozzi emphasized. “We can’t expect Marc’s talent to solve our problems.”

After the Brazilian GP, Marquez focused on what he considers his biggest challenge with the Ducati GP26: the start. The reigning champion acknowledges that it’s precisely at this stage that his real chances of fighting for the win slip away, despite his subsequent pace being comparable to that of the best. The latest MotoGP weekend left mixed feelings: he won the Sprint race convincingly, but in the main race he could only fight for third, ultimately giving up the podium after an intense battle with “Diggia.” “In the early laps I’m not at my best, that’s all,” admitted the Cervera phenomenon.

The situation became even more complicated when Di Giannantonio and Martin passed him. “I tried to stay calm and not push too hard to avoid excessive tire wear,” explained Ducati rider #93. “When I was behind Jorge and Fabio, I was never able to get close enough to pass them easily, especially due to the characteristics of the circuit.”

Even so, the pace was there. Marquez clearly improved as the race went on, to the point of setting his best lap on the final tour and crossing the line just a few tenths behind the VR46 rider. “We’re not far from the leaders and there are a couple of aspects we need to work on,” concluded the reigning MotoGP champion. The riders’ standings already show Bezzecchi at +22 over Marc, who slips to fifth. The good news is that the World Championship heads to COTA, one of his strongholds. And there will be no room for error.