Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez is on the verge of clinching the MotoGP world championship with five rounds to spare. Only Ducati riders have had the equipment to stop him, but none have come remotely close.
While Aprilia and KTM in particular have made strides in recent races, Gresini and VR46 remain second and third in the championship. That’s a clear sign that Ducati have had comfortably the best bike over the season as a whole.
But Marquez is 182 points clear of his brother Alex in second, and a staggering 275 points ahead of teammate Francesco Bagnaia in third. Combined, they would only outscore Marquez by 55.
With Marco Bezzecchi arguably on a career-best run, Jorge Martin building back up and Pedro Acosta starting to score podiums again, there’s optimism that Marquez will face a genuine external challenge next year.
But the level of MotoGP has been questioned, with the oldest rider on the grid seemingly a tier above the rest.
Ducati staff think Fermin Aldeguer can be a Marc Marquez beater
But some Ducati insiders think there’s one rider who could be a threat to Marquez, albeit not immediately. Speaking on The Race MotoGP podcast, Simon Patterson emphasised just how excited the Borgo Panigale outfit are about Fermin Aldeguer.
Aldeguer, one of three rookies on this year’s grid, is currently eighth in the championship. That makes him the lowest-ranking Ducati, but on his best days, he’s amassed four podium finishes.
The 20-year-old is seen by some as the ‘successor’ to Marquez. They think he eventually could beat his compatriot in a ‘straight fight’, and that’s even before decline sets in for the #93.
Patterson said: “When you speak to some of the people around him that see data, they are very, very impressed. I’ve spoken to people who wear red shirts for a living who think that Fermin has the potential to beat Marc in a straight fight, even without Marc being the guy that’s retiring.
“They think he is the successor, he’s that good.”
Is this a sign that Luigi Dall’Igna still isn’t totally convinced by Fermin Aldeguer?
Ducati have recently confirmed that Alex Marquez will be riding a factory GP26 next year. He’s beaten his teammate in 37 of the 42 competitive sessions in which both have been classified.
As a result, Aldeguer won’t get a GP26, even though his contract suggested he would. Only he and Franco Morbidelli will be riding the year-old bikes.
One could argue that this is a blow to Aldeguer’s 2027 Ducati chances. The GP25 has been an enigmatic bike in the hands of Bagnaia and Fabio di Giannantonio, which could hurt the youngster’s chances of making a second-year leap.
Aldeguer won eight races and took six pole positions in Moto2 but is still trying to get off the mark in those categories in the premier class.
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