Marco Bezzecchi
Giacomo Agostini described Ducati’s 2026 bike as a ‘winner’ ahead of Aprilia and his former team Yamaha, as well.
Agostini has been critical of Yamaha recently, criticising the team for their inability to build a competitive bike for their riders.
Conversely, the record 15-time world champion has been consistent in his praise for Ducati, despite Agostini’s scepticism towards Marc Marquez.
Is Pedro Acosta going to beat Marc Marquez at Ducati next year?
But for all their strengths, Ducati have floundered this year compared to their rivals, Aprilia, who currently lead the championship thanks to Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin.
Even with all that said, Giacomo Agostini prefers to ride the 2026 Ducati bike over Aprilia, and even his former teams, Yamaha and MV Agusta.
READ MORE: Giacomo Agostini predicts ‘Spain will be on fire’ when Pedro Acosta joins Marc Marquez at Ducati
Giacomo Agostini picks Ducati over Aprilia, Yamaha bike as his choice if he was a rider today
Speaking in an interview with MotoSprint Italy, Giacomo Agostini was asked which bike out of today’s lineup in MotoGP he would most like to ride.
Unsurprisingly, Agostini picked the Ducati, acknowledging their long-standing success and reputation as the best team in MotoGP, despite their struggles this season.
“It depends, to ride for what? To race? To win? Then I take the Ducati, because the rider doesn’t say, ‘I win because I have the Yamaha, MV, Ducati, etc. brand.’
“I want to win, and in the end, I win because I have the Ducati, which is the best. So it helps me win. The important thing is that it’s a bike that takes you to victory, that’s it: I always want the bike that wins.”
While Agostini was firm in his belief that Ducati have the best bike in MotoGP, he also explained why, ultimately, the rider should be responsible for creating their success.
READ MORE: Giacomo Agostini backs Marc Marquez’s ‘real’ 2026 championship to start at Spanish Grand Prix
Who is going to win the Spanish Grand Prix?
And let us know why in the comments!
Giacomo Agostini says riders must have ‘more influence’ on their results in MotoGP
Speaking further in the interview, Agostini explained why the current state of MotoGP frustrates him, pointing to the lack of driver input and impact on their results.
“The rider must have more influence on the victory. Now there’s also the problem of all this power: you have to save the tyres, or you won’t make it to the end of the race. And I say, guys, these are speed races, not regularity races!
“The difference that the fans are looking for doesn’t emerge. Because this is the reality, we see it in other sports too: we love the character, we don’t love them all.
“Today, so many win, why? Because if you have a small problem and can’t win, it often happens that one race you’re fighting for the podium, the next race after six tenths, because the bike doesn’t give you 100%.
“We depend a lot on the bike, but instead I’d like to depend more on the rider. I repeat: you root for the rider, not the bike, and so we fall in love with the one who does things that not everyone can do. Otherwise, as then, well done you, well done him, well done me, everyone is good.”
Agostini comes from a far more driver-reliant era in motorcycle racing, and for a veteran like him, the far more mechanically-oriented conditions in MotoGP are far from ideal.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
