Maverick Vinales says Marc Marquez’s data is helping Ducati riders beat KTM

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Ducati have been the benchmark in MotoGP for a number of years now, and Maverick Vinales has highlighted how Marc Marquez’s data during his maiden season with the factory Ducati team has aided their quest to stay at the top of the pecking order.

Marc Marquez was the benchmark for every rider on the MotoGP grid during the 2025 season as they struggled to find an answer to his dominance that was on display throughout the year.

However, the Spaniard’s gap to the rest of the field seemed to dwindle at times in the second half of the season. Marquez faced closer competition from Marco Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez in the races leading up to his injury in Indonesia, which ruled him out of the remaining races of the year.

The contrast in results from teammate Francesco Bagnaia led many to question whether Ducati favoured Marquez during his first season with the factory team, but according to Maverick Vinales, it’s quite the opposite.

READ MORE: Ducati boss reveals how Marc Marquez is ‘supporting’ Francesco Bagnaia behind the scenes

Maverick Vinales details how Marc Marquez is helping every other rider at Ducati

In a recent interview with Diario AS, Vinales touched upon his current desire within the KTM stable, which is to be able to ride atop a bike that is capable of consistently challenging for the top step of the podium.

Pedro Acosta has been vocal in his frustrations with KTM during his sophomore campaign in the premier class. The young Murcia rider was the best performer within the ranks of the Austrian constructor in 2025, ending the season in fourth place in the riders’ standings.

On the topic of his stablemate’s impressive year, Vinales said, “I understand that he’s trying his best; you can see that when he’s riding.

“He’s giving it his all on every metre of the circuit; you can see that in the telemetry. So, he’s persevering, and he’ll get there; he’ll get the victory, and he’ll get to fight for it.”

Vinales then went on to highlight why KTM have faced difficulties in reaching the level of Ducati this season, saying, “KTM has to help us get to the level where we can fight. Right now, it’s tough; it’s not easy.

“If I bring Marc in and he’s giving it his all, that also gives the others at Ducati good data, which makes it even more difficult. Like KTM, we have to work very hard, understand the direction we need to take and have a good pre-season.

“Last year, we struggled in the preseason. We tried a lot of things, and I had no idea how the bike was going. I was completely lost with this bike, and then I found the sweet spot, but by the time you find it in the fifth or sixth race, you’ve missed the boat.

“With all the experience and data, and knowing where we want to go, we have to be very precise and hit the target.”

READ MORE: Giacomo Agostini explains how Valentino Rossi is inadvertently helping Marc Marquez at Ducati

Pedro Acosta has recently addressed a potential partnership between himself and Marc Marquez at Ducati

During his year of frustration with KTM in 2025, Acosta has frequently voiced his wishes to find himself racing for a more competitive team in the future.

After links emerged between the Spaniard and a possible seat within the Ducati stable, Acosta was forced to remain at KTM following an intervention from Dorna Sports, who were not happy with the number of riders who wished to break away from their current contracts.

However, one of the main concerns that Ducati have over a potential factory move for him is the team dynamic between Acosta and Marquez within the garages of the Italian constructor.

Both riders are highly ambitious and will stop at nothing to realise their dreams, which could lead to some friction. Despite the concerns, Acosta believes it wouldn’t hurt to have Marquez as a teammate, citing the seven-time world champion’s accolades as an opportunity to learn from the best.

Ducati remains an option for Acosta, whose impressive results have seen him become one of the most in-demand riders on the grid in 2025. It could be just a matter of time before we see him racing in red for the Borgo Panigale-based outfit.