MotoGP, the Aprilia/Ducati war is on: "Marc Marquez also needs a good bike to win"

This season, Aprilia achieved a remarkable feat: building a motorcycle that, towards the end, was equivalent to the Ducati Desmosedici. This was clearly evident in the final rounds: Marco Bezzecchi, in particular, easily competed with – and sometimes even beat – Alex Marquez and the other Ducati riders. However, this resurgence of Aprilia coincided with the absence of Marc Marquez, who remains the rider to beat. Are we heading towards an Aprilia-Ducati rivalry in 2026? That's certainly what the comments of Fabiano Sterlacchini suggest.

The Italian, Aprilia's technical director, who also previously worked at KTM, firmly believes in it. A recent interview given to speedweek This idea is confirmed by the tone used to discuss Marc Marquez. « Marc doesn't win simply because he's Marc.There have been periods when, despite his talent, he hasn't won. This proves that Marc is an exceptional driver. but he also needs a good, well-designed motorcyclebalanced and performing well in all circumstances. he asserted.

 

 

In fact, Sterlacchini is right: while many claim that Marc Marquez would win with any bike on the grid, there were periods at Honda when it was very difficult for him to perform. However, it's unlikely that in 2026, Ducati will give him a machine on par with the 2023 Honda RC213V, for example. Aprilia is focused on its own work, without worrying about anything else. « In my opinion, the secret to our work lies in not saying to ourselves, “We must do this or that.”It's not necessary to do everything a little bit. The engine, the electronics, the aerodynamics, and... need to be developed. the pilot must also progress » continued the engineer.

What is certain is that with development focused on 2027, relatively similar motorcycles in 2026 and more advantageous concessions, Aprilia will have a chance to make a move next year. “IYou should never neglect a parameter, because it automatically becomes a weaknessWe must strive to improve in all areas, and That's precisely what we did, which explains our good results. » he concluded.

Do you think that in 2026, Aprilia could overshadow Ducati? Tell us in the comments!

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport