Davide Tardozzi outlined Ducati’s view of the 2026 MotoGP championship battle after the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring, where he assessed the rivalry between Ducati and Aprilia and commented on rider form and recovery.
The assessment mattered because the championship has tightened following a significant recovery by Marc Márquez shifts in race winners and the emergence of Trackhouse Racing contenders, changes that recalibrate team strategies for the remainder of the season.
Ducati’s assessment after Sachsenring and the status of Marc Márquez
Davide Tardozzi, Ducati’s team manager, spoke publicly after Sachsenring about the balance between manufacturers and the role of rider performance. He stated, “I believe Ducati has always been reasonably competitive. There were unfortunate episodes for us early in the season, as there were for our rivals later. I think the bikes are evenly matched and will remain so until the end of the year.” Tardozzi reiterated that the competitive picture remains fluid and that Ducati’s engineering team was continuing development work for the second half of the year.
Tardozzi placed particular emphasis on the physical recovery of Márquez, describing ongoing progress in his right arm and the importance of upcoming tracks for a fuller assessment. He said the team would gain “a clearer picture at Silverstone in a month” and that “Aragón will be another critical track for him.” Those comments follow a run of strong results that saw Márquez win multiple recent races and substantially reduce his points deficit to the championship leader.
Rider form, crashes and the depth of Ducati’s roster
Tardozzi highlighted the contribution of other Ducati riders beyond Márquez, notably naming Fabio Di Giannantonio as a consistent frontrunner before a crash at Sachsenring. “It was a shame about Diggia’s crash at Sachsenring. He had made consistency and speed his hallmark this season and was sitting third in the championship,” Tardozzi said. He added that had Di Giannantonio not crashed, “he might have finished second or even first in the standings.” Those remarks underline Ducati’s reliance on rider execution as much as on technical development of the GP26 package.
Tardozzi also credited Ducati engineers for perseverance amid early setbacks, noting that the technical staff around Gigi Dall’Igna were working on further upgrades. “The engineers deserve recognition for never giving up. Even when we trailed by 102 points, we kept our feet on the ground, worked hard, and aimed to improve the bike,” he said, signaling a forward plan to close performance gaps on specific circuits.
Aprilia’s challenge and the broader title picture
Tardozzi framed Aprilia as a manufacturer with circuit-specific advantages, saying, “On certain circuits like Silverstone, Aprilia might have a slight edge, while on others, we could be the favourites. At this point, the machines are equal; it is the riders who make the difference.” The comment followed a sequence of long-distance race wins for Aprilia earlier in the season and the club’s high competitiveness on fast, flowing tracks.
The season’s balance has left several riders in contention and amplified the impact of individual race incidents. Tardozzi noted that luck and misfortune had affected all teams and that the championship would be a “rollercoaster” between Ducati and Aprilia for the remainder of the year.
Trackhouse Racing, championship standings and transfers
Trackhouse Racing has become a decisive presence in the title fight, with Ai Ogura and Raúl Fernández delivering notable results and Ogura holding second place in the standings, 14 points behind leader Jorge Martín. Tardozzi recognized their potential impact, saying, “They will fight for the championship. There are six riders within a handful of points, including Ogura and Fernández, who have demonstrated great potential with two sprint wins.” The rise of Trackhouse Racing shifts competitive calculations for both Ducati and Aprilia and complicates team strategies.
The paddock is also watching the confirmed move of Pecco Bagnaia to Aprilia for 2027, a transfer that promises to reshape manufacturer lineups next season and further intensify the Ducati–Aprilia rivalry. Bagnaia reportedly turned down a Yamaha offer to sign a four-year deal with Aprilia, a commitment framed by both sides as a bet on a future competitive resurgence.
Ultimo aggiornamento: 5 agosto 2026.
