Ducati engineers know one of their bike’s key strengths is now getting ‘destroyed’ by Aprilia

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Aprilia look to have the upper hand over Ducati in 2026 as one of the Borgo Panigale outfit’s strengths is being nullified by their Italian rivals.

Ducati have not had the start to the season that they would have wanted, with their 88-race podium streak coming to an end in Buriram. Marco Bezzecchi has won all three races thus far in 2026, with Aprilia displaying a clear advantage.

Will Ducati return to form when the season resumes?

Jorge Martin thinks so!

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In Brazil, Marc Marquez admitted Aprilia have the extra ‘point’ that Ducati had in 2025. The Spaniard has gone from winning 25 races, including Sprints, last year, to scoring just one Grand Prix podium in the opening three races in 2026.

Massimo Rivola says Aprilia have not faced the ‘real’ Marquez yet in 2026, despite winning the opening three Grands Prix. But it is clear that Ducati are struggling to keep up with the RS-GP, and one of their key strengths is being nullified.

Ducati engineers know they are getting ‘destroyed’ by Aprilia in braking and corner entry

Journalist Mat Oxley wrote in his column for Motor Sport Magazine that the Aprilia RS-GP is ‘visibly better on the brakes than the Ducati and KTM’. It is giving Bezzecchi and his fellow Aprilia riders an ‘important advantage’, which the Borgo Panigale outfit cannot replicate.

He notes that Ducati’s engineers ‘have been aware for a while’ that their Noale rivals have gained the edge in braking and on corner entry. The defending champions are ‘getting destroyed’ in that area, which ‘used to be one of the Desmosedici’s strong points’.

Subsequently, Ducati have not come close to Aprilia in the first three races. Bezzecchi has stormed away at the front with little competition, while Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia are noticeably struggling with the GP26.

Fabio Di Giannantonio has been the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s top rider in 2026, but he has only been on the podium once from two pole positions. At present, it looks like Aprilia have dethroned Ducati as the top factory.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Ducati from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy

Fabio Di Giannantonio knows Ducati need to improve the front of the GP26

Diggia is aware of the problems that Ducati have with the GP26. The VR46 rider wants to see the factory improve the front over the break before the next race at Jerez.

“We need to work a lot to try to recover the gap because the gap with the competition is becoming big,” said the VR46 rider after finishing fifth on Sunday, almost seven seconds down on Bezzecchi,” he said.

“I think we need to improve our front. We need to be able to brake harder and bring more speed into the corner with the front.

“That’s the issue we have at the moment; we are all on the rear, and once the rear is gone we cannot really express our speed. The others can brake a little later, go in with the brakes and use the front to turn the bike.”