Why 2026 is the best time for Ducati to discipline six similar MotoGP bikes

The emergence of Alex Marquez, alongside Ducati’s commitments to Fermin Aldeguer and Fabio Di Giannantonio, amongst different components, presents the perfect state of affairs for the Italian model to discipline six similar bikes on the MotoGP grid subsequent yr.

During the last decade – roughly since Gigi Dall’Igna arrived as normal supervisor – Ducati has progressively pulled away from its direct rivals in MotoGP, reaching a degree that, within the brief and medium time period, seems unmatchable. Its challenge within the premier class is meticulous in each side; its basis an excellent bike that’s exploited to the fullest.

A typical satellite tv for pc staff pays Ducati round €2million to lease the most recent Desmosedici. That quantity drops by half for a previous-year model. There have even been instances, like 2021, when three totally different mannequin years have lined up on the grid concurrently.

The Desmosedici shouldn’t be solely able to beating different prototypes on the monitor – it additionally weakens the competitors off it. To the purpose that Marc Marquez gave up the ultimate yr of his Honda contract (2024), together with the roughly €20million that got here with it, for the prospect to trip a Ducati that wasn’t even the most recent mannequin.

Only a single outing, in his debut check with the Gresini staff at Valencia, was sufficient for the Spaniard to substantiate that he wasn’t the issue at Honda. And his story has now developed into one among complete domination as his 2025 marketing campaign with the manufacturing unit staff has unfolded.

Along with having the most effective rider/bike mixture at current, Ducati has performed its homework by way of numbers, extracting the utmost worth from each unit it manufactures. Till now, it has used the promise of a manufacturing unit contract as a lure to draw rising stars – like Aldeguer – or to safe strategic alliances, because it did by selling the VR46 staff to factory-supported standing, a privilege beforehand unique to Pramac.

By this mannequin, the Borgo Panigale producer has not solely gained a robust negotiating device but additionally managed to position previous-year Desmosedicis with its clients. Nevertheless, the set of circumstances anticipated subsequent season suggests it’s the proper second for Ducati to think about placing six similar GP26s on monitor.

One of many main speaking factors this previous pre-season was the talk over the GP25’s potential in comparison with the 2024 bike, which had been dubbed the proper machine. After the ultimate winter check in Thailand, in reality, Ducati introduced that it will homologate a single engine spec for all its riders – an unprecedented resolution lately.

“The engine would be the 2024 one for all Ducati riders. Will we make it in time? Properly, all of that has to occur inside eight or 9 days, when usually we’d have about three weeks,” admitted staff supervisor Davide Tardozzi in a dialog with Motorsport.com at Buriram.

Nevertheless, one thing modified in that interval, because the technical division, nonetheless with Dall’Igna on the helm, opted in any case to distinguish the engines utilized by Marc Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio – the three riders whose contracts stipulated a GP25 for this season – from these utilized by Alex Marquez, Aldeguer and Franco Morbidelli.

“Sure, there are two totally different specs. The one utilized by Marc, Pecco and Diggia incorporates some small modifications in comparison with the model utilized by Alex, Franco and Fermin,” a Ducati spokesperson informed this author through the season opener, additionally in Thailand.

“Within the extra superior spec, we took into consideration suggestions from Marc and Pecco,” added the supply, whereas stressing that the variations between the 2 variations are “minor”.

5 months later, the state of affairs is kind of totally different. Marc Marquez is dominating with overwhelming superiority, having scored eight double wins (Saturday and Sunday) and 10 victories in 12 grand prix races. His brother, driving a barely much less refined 2024 bike with out manufacturing unit help – his contract is with Gresini, not Ducati – has been the one one capable of problem him at instances.

Bagnaia, in the meantime, stays caught on the metaphorical therapist’s sofa, unable to search out a solution to the dearth of feeling that, as he retains repeating, prevents him from performing as he did over the previous three years.

Then there are the opposite Ducati riders: Diggia is attempting to regain the consistency that accidents have denied him; Aldeguer is making a robust case for himself – with a podium in his rookie season and a few spectacular late-race performances – whereas Morbidelli, who began the season nicely, has misplaced some tempo in latest rounds.

Of those riders, solely Morbidelli has a contract that expires on the finish of this yr. Regardless of efforts to recruit Pedro Acosta – who was eager to interrupt free from his KTM deal – the teen has now accepted that he’ll stay in orange subsequent season. Di Giannantonio, in the meantime, is contracted to Ducati as a manufacturing unit rider via the tip of 2026. As beforehand famous, Alex Marquez signed with Gresini, whereas Aldeguer, his team-mate on the Faenza-based staff, signed immediately with the Bologna manufacturing unit.

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Staff

Picture by: Gold and Goose Images / LAT Pictures / through Getty Pictures

His settlement stipulates that he’ll trip a ‘commonplace’ Desmosedici in 2025, his rookie yr, with the dedication to be upgraded to the latest-spec bike – like these of Marquez, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio – in 2026.

Given the numbers to date, it’s simple that Alex has earned the best to trip a GP26 subsequent yr, even when his contract doesn’t specify it. Furthermore, with the rider market open for 2027, Marc Marquez and Ducati should sit down and negotiate.

The primary half of the calendar has clearly proven that Alex doesn’t want his brother as a yardstick to show his potential – his pace and consistency are greater than sufficient. That stated, having the backing of the undisputed benchmark on the grid by no means hurts.

There are additionally a few key technical components to think about for subsequent season, which would be the final earlier than MotoGP’s main regulation shake-up in 2027. First, it’s price noting that the engines have been frozen since their homologation at Buriram. With all of the expertise and information from 2025, Ducati might be nicely positioned to decide on between the 2 engine choices it at present provides.

The case for the extra developed model is powerful. Run by Marquez, Bagnaia and Diggia, it has racked up 9 wins, whereas the earlier spec (utilized by Alex, Aldeguer and Morbidelli) has taken only one. For followers, seeing all six riders race underneath theoretically equal situations can be an actual deal with.

The hole between Ducati and the remainder of the producers is a chasm that can’t be bridged in a single season – and everybody is aware of it. For that motive, it is smart to consider that the majority manufacturers will deal with 2026 as a transitional yr and can keep away from investing greater than essential. The brand new laws supply a window of hope for the remaining, and it will be inexcusable to not go all in on that chance, as a substitute of losing vitality attempting to shut an unbridgeable hole in a challenge that can solely final one yr.