After a period of dominance, Ducati finds itself at a critical moment in the 2026 MotoGP season. With 182 days without victories in the premier category, the situation becomes concerning for the Italian team.
Ducati’s last triumph dates back to the Malaysian GP last September. The initial results this year indicate a notable shift in competitiveness, with Aprilia and KTM emerging as strong rivals. In particular, KTM, with Pedro Acosta at the helm, has proven to be a significant threat.
Ducati’s Positioning in the Standings
In the riders’ standings, Ducati’s best position is fourth place held by Fabio di Giannantonio, who is behind Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin of Aprilia, as well as Acosta of KTM. In the manufacturers’ standings, Ducati is second, far behind Aprilia, but with only four points ahead of KTM.
The reality is even more alarming in the team standings. Aprilia’s official team has accumulated 158 points in the first three races, more than double that of Ducati, which has only recorded 70 points with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.
This situation has been worsened by the performance of Alex Marquez, who has not achieved a standout result thus far. The absence of Fermín Aldeguer at the Thai GP did not aid in crafting a good season start for Gresini.
On-Track Performance and Strategy
Ducati’s riders have expressed their concerns. Marquez believes that the team will be able to make improvements throughout the season, emphasizing that historically Ducati tends to need part of the season to adjust to technical novelties.
On the other hand, Di Giannantonio has highlighted the excessive dependence on the rear traction system of the GP26. While this has benefitted them in short races, tire wear during long races has created significant issues. “We need to improve the front of the bike, in order to brake more effectively and gain more speed in corners,” he stated.
With competition improving, Ducati must prioritize the evolution of its performance to avoid falling behind. The season continues and the opportunities to regain competitiveness have not been exhausted, but the team urgently needs to find solutions to return to the title battle.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
