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Jorge Martin's Aprilia Comments Exposing Ducati's Core Issue
The comments from Jorge Martin following his first track test with Aprilia have led to the surfacing of a long-standing problem for Italian factory team Ducati, which they had struggled to resolve. Fabio di Giannantonio emphasized that Martin’s remarks about Aprilia highlighted Ducati’s fundamental issues regarding front tire feel and corner entry performance in the championship battle.
Ducati Updates – A Renewed Debate
Following Aprilia's significant surge in 2026, particularly concerning front tire feel and corner entry performance, this has become a renewed discussion point for Ducati. Francesco Bagnaia, who secured a top three result on track during the Mugello Grand Prix, stated in a conversation with team principal Cristian Gabarrini that progress had been made regarding front-end feel.
“I’ve been saying this for over a year,” di Giannantonio stated. “Since Ducati joined the factory program, we've been saying that we needed to improve the front.”
The Italian rider argued that Aprilia’s biggest advantage was its ability to steer the motorcycle into corners using the front tire. This allowed Aprilia riders to protect their tires throughout the race and then activate the rear tire for increased performance on exit.
Martin's Initial Comments and Critical Observations
According to di Giannantonio, this deficit wasn’t a new issue. His comments when he first rode the Aprilia RS-GP at the Barcelona test at the end of 2024 were the clearest expression of this situation by Jorge Martin.
“This isn't a secret,” said Martin. “When I came out with Aprilia for my first test, I said the front was incredible.”
The Italian rider believed that Ducati’s current biggest shortcoming was precisely this. He noted that Ducati had previously been able to conceal this weakness through its superiority in other areas, as competitors developed and reached their level in some areas.
Race Results and Advantage Gap
Aprilia won five out of the seven major races leading up to the 2026 season, while Ducati only achieved victories at Jerez with Alex Marquez and Barcelona with Fabio di Giannantonio. While di Giannantonio acknowledged that Ducati could be strong enough to contend for the championship, he emphasized Aprilia’s current small but significant advantage.
“I'm not saying we have no chance of competing,” said di Giannantonio. “Our motorcycle is still incredible and we can fight with Aprilia. But they currently have a bit more than us.”
The key reason for this difference was quite clear: Aprilia riders entered corners with the front end and used the rear tire on exit, unlike Ducati, which had built almost all of its performance around the rear tire.
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