Marco Bezzecchi
Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola thinks Ducati “struggle” more than his Noale outfit on the medium rear Michelin tyres, but their “advantage” might only prove to be temporary.
Ducati have had a difficult start to the season by the Borgo Panigale natives’ standards. The Bologna Bullets are even suffering their longest win drought since they went five and a half years without a Grand Prix victory between 2010 and 2016, having not won in the past five.
Instead, Aprilia have won each of the past five Grands Prix through Marco Bezzecchi, as he triumphed in the final two rounds of the 2025 season and has opened 2026 with a perfect record. Bezzecchi has also set a new record by leading each lap in the past five Grands Prix.
Bezzecchi also leads Aprilia teammate Jorge Martin atop the 2026 riders’ standings with 81 and 77 points ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio is the lead Ducati rider, yet he is only fourth with 50 points behind KTM’s Pedro Acosta on 60.
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Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola thinks Ducati ‘struggle’ on the medium rear Michelin tyres
Di Giannantonio is also the only Ducati rider to score a Grand Prix podium this season, with his P3 in Brazil. KTM rival Acosta in P2 joined Bezzecchi and Trackhouse ace Raul Fernandez in P3 on the rostrum in Thailand. Acosta even rounded out the rostrum in America with P3.
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Ducati’s best results so far this year have come in Sprint Races through Marc Marquez, as he was second in Buriram after a penalty and then won in Brazil. Aprilia CEO Rivola feels Sprints suit Ducati as they like Michelin’s soft tyres, but the mediums suit Aprilia in the Grands Prix.
Rivola told Motorsport.com: “Ducati certainly haven’t disappeared. They finished first and second in the Sprints.
“I think they have a slight advantage over us on the soft tyre, while we have a bit more of an edge on the medium, in terms of how we use the tyres.
“So, the fact that they might struggle a bit at the end of races could give us an advantage, but perhaps it’s only temporary. I think it’s going to be a fantastic championship.”
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Acosta did not “feel like a winner” in the Buriram Sprint as Marquez’s penalty for forcing the KTM rider wide on the penultimate lap saw the 21-year-old inherit his debut win in MotoGP. Marquez won the Sprint in Brazil, but his P4 in that Grand Prix is his best feature race result.
Di Giannantonio also finished the Thailand Grand Prix as the leading Ducati ace in P6, but he was 16.845s behind Bezzecchi as he won for Aprilia. The VR46 star was also the top Ducati in Brazil and America on the medium tyres, but he finished 3.780s and 6.972s off Bezzecchi.
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