Tech Watch: Ducati chases Aprilia's aerodynamics – a sign of the times?

by Marc Seriau/paddock-gp

In MotoGP, battles are sometimes fought over thousandths of a second, and the smallest technical detail can take on considerable importance. An aspect that this time is forcing Ducati to copy an innovation initially introduced by Aprilia…

During the 2026 season, although engine development is essentially frozen ahead of the major 2027 overhaul, MotoGP development does not stop. Manufacturers are full of ideas to refine every detail of their bikes. Electronics, peripherals and engine management, chassis, swingarm, and suspension are all being fine-tuned, yet remain invisible to us—unlike aerodynamics, which is in constant evolution.

While the fairing is limited by regulations to two or three homologations per season depending on its position in the Concessions ranking, this does not apply to the seat and its backrest, which are currently completely unrestricted—except for dimensions—until next year.

At almost every Grand Prix we see new wings or winglets appear on the fairings, but what really caught our attention in Austin was the area behind the riders’ thighs, where Aprilia has introduced larger side fins this year. Honda was the first to copy this solution last season and has also increased the size of its fins this year.

Ducati, long a leader in aerodynamic innovation, hadn’t bothered to follow suit—at least not until Austin, where, suddenly, during the Sprint, mini fins appeared on the bikes of Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia. It’s always surprising to see how these innovations are rarely tested during free practice yet show up spontaneously during the race!

For now, the Borgo Panigale version, although a biplane, looks rather basic compared to the one from Noale, or even the one from Tokyo.

Moreover, in Austin it was reserved exclusively for the factory riders: neither Alex Marquez nor Fabio Di Giannantonio had access to it. But we can bet that, if the riders confirm its benefits, the situation will change quickly over time…

After removing them at the start of the season, Aprilia, for its part, has brought back the chain guides and the mysterious four carbon tubes.

Development never stops, but seeing Ducati copy an Aprilia innovation might be a sign of the times...