Ducati GP26 at the limit: a 'genetic' problem works to Aprilia's advantage

The MotoGP World Championship arrives at Balaton Park, Hungary, for the eighth round of the season. Aprilia continues to lead the standings with Bezzecchi and Martin, while Ducati is forced to chase, with Fabio Di Giannantonio so far the brand’s best rider. Without a fully fit Marc Marquez, the limits of the Desmosedici GP26 are coming to the surface.

The winner of the Catalan GP, so far Ducati’s only triumph in 2026, looked like the big favorite for the Mugello weekend as well. But the VR46 rider gambled it all in qualifying, with a seventh place that indelibly stained the entire Italian GP. In the MotoGP Sprint he managed to snatch a third place, reaffirming his fine form. In the long race he had to settle for fifth, with Pecco Bagnaia on the top step of the podium behind the factory Aprilias.

In a still-unpredictable championship, where the Noale bikes definitely have something extra, the Ducati Desmosedici is trying to carve out a place at the top. But at the moment the only certainty is that the Red is no longer the dominant prototype in MotoGP, as it was up until two years ago. “We’re no longer in the position we used to be,” Fabio “Diggia” admitted at Thursday’s press conference in Hungary. “I remember Pecco’s races in 2023, when he was superior to his package in every respect, he had to win and sometimes he didn’t even know why he was in P1.”

In 2026 the deck has been reshuffled, also due to the absence of a Marc Marquez in peak physical condition. “Right now no manufacturer has a better package everywhere. We always talk about sub-areas. At the moment Aprilia is better at preserving rear tire performance longer, letting the bike flow over the front wheel on corner entry.”

Ducati isn’t far behind the RS-GPs, but the front end remains the weak point of the 2026 edition. “We really have a very good bike, but right now we’re operating at the limit,” Di Giannantonio pointed out. Some progress was seen at Mugello, but it’s not enough. The Borgo Panigale engine remains a benchmark, but another major weak point is balance, as shown by the mid-corner issues. Even Marc Marquez is encountering difficulties, given his tendency to run wide in corners and his problems on entry.

Aprilia manages to open a gap especially in the final stages of the race, with the GP26 wearing its tires more quickly. As the rear tire drops, corner-entry difficulties become more evident for the Ducatis. And the riders are forced to slow the pace to avoid crashes. After all, the Desmosedici has always had a historical understeer problem; it’s part of its DNA since Gigi Dall’Igna’s arrival. A “flaw” mitigated in recent years by the latest evolutions of Michelin tires and aerodynamics.

With the arrival of a well-balanced Aprilia, the Desmosedicis find themselves having to chase their “cousins.” When the rear tire drops, the riders struggle to find that necessary mid-corner oversteer and have to reduce the pace. An Achilles’ heel that’s proving fatal in this MotoGP championship, currently in the hands of the Veneto manufacturer, though still with everything to play for.

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