Alex Criville says Ducati are no longer sure which of their MotoGP bikes is ‘the best’

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Alex Criville thinks Ducati are in a tough spot in MotoGP, unsure of which bike in their lineup is actually the best.

Ducati have been the standout force since 2020 and took every title in 2025, but last season exposed some problems. The GP25 was clearly a step back from the GP24.

The 2024 Desmosedici might go down as one of the greatest bikes ever built, racking up 16 wins from 20 races. But the following year’s model gave riders plenty to complain about – though Marc Marquez seemed able to work around most of them.

Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio both struggled with feedback issues on the new bike, while those still riding the older GP24 looked far more at ease. Franco Morbidelli has now picked up similar complaints to Bagnaia as he battles with this season’s version.

Unlike other manufacturers who bring updates each season for all teams, Ducati don’t operate like that. In MotoGP, only two teams (the factory Ducati team and Pramac Racing) use the newest bike straight away. The other three teams stick with last year’s model until a mid-season update comes along (if they get one at all).

This staggered approach has led to debates about which version is better – especially with early feedback already favouring last year’s machine over this year’s. Ducati will still be expected to challenge for titles again. They have nine bikes on the grid compared to Yamaha and Aprilia’s two, but early form suggests we could be in for a tighter race than usual.

Photo by Klaus Pressberger/SEPA.Media /Getty Images

Ducati’s uncertainty growing over their top MotoGP machine, says Criville

Ducati have struggled to match the success they found with the GP24, and in 2026, it took until Jerez for Alex Marquez to secure their first win of the season. In the meantime, Aprilia has emerged as the standout team on the grid.