Fabio Di Giannantonio defends Marc Marquez after tough start

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Fabio Di Giannantonio believes that Marc Marquez has had a bit of bad luck at the start of the 2026 MotoGP season and gave his opinion on who’s been Ducati’s top rider through the first four rounds.

The Italian, who finished the race in Jerez just ahead of Marquez, was also voted by fans as the top Ducati rider across all four rounds so far.

He told Paddock TV: “We need to analyse one thing, that our bike is quite good now. We have just been a little unlucky. It’s not about that we are bad with speed or we can’t overtake. We can do it very well.”

Fabio Di Giannantonio describes Marc Marquez as ‘unlucky’ early in 2026 while weighing up Ducati’s line-up

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However, the VR46 rider feels that Marquez has had his fair share of bad luck in the early stages of the 2026 campaign.

Speaking to reporters after the Spanish GP, Di Giannantonio was asked about how he views the current hierarchy within Ducati’s six-man roster.

Given his position as the top-ranked Ducati rider in the championship standings, it wouldn’t be surprising if he saw himself as their lead man. But Di Giannantonio doesn’t see it that way.

“Me, the best Ducati rider? I disagree. Marc Marquez is very fast like me, but unlucky here and there.

“Alex [Marquez] is coming back. I’m doing a good job, but I don’t like this title of best Ducati rider. I’m Fabio with the VR46 team: together we’re doing a great job. We’re third, but there are still a lot of races left.”

After a slow start to 2026 for Alex Marquez, he finally gave Ducati something to celebrate by taking their first win of the season at Jerez.