Marco Bezzecchi highlighted Ducati's advantages that led to Alex Marquez ending Aprilia's winning streak at the Spanish Grand Prix. This race marked a significant challenge for Aprilia, which had previously dominated the season.
Key points
Marco Bezzecchi discussed Ducati's advantages in the race
Alex Marquez ended Aprilia's winning streak
The Spanish Grand Prix posed challenges for Aprilia
Ducati had a strong historical performance at Jerez
Marco BezzecchiAlex MarquezDucatiAprilia
Motorsport photo
Motorsport photo
Marco Bezzecchi has revealed the key areas where Ducati held the advantage in the Spanish Grand Prix, after witnessing Alex Marquez end Aprilia’s winning streak in MotoGP on Sunday.
Bezzecchi arrived at Jerez having led every lap of the opening three grands prix of the season, giving Aprilia a decisive early edge in the championship fight.
But the first European round was widely expected to pose the biggest challenge of the year for the Noale factory, given its relatively modest track record and Ducati’s previous results.
While Aprilia locked out four spots within the top six on Sunday, Bezzecchi had no answer to Gresini rider Marquez, who snatched the lead on the second lap and scored a monumental victory for Borgo Panigale.
Bezzecchi explained that Aprilia’s weekend was compromised by rain showers on Saturday morning, preventing the team from gaining valuable mileage on Michelin’s medium tyre.
While he and the team nevertheless managed to make a major step overnight, as they had done after every sprint setback across the opening flyaways, it ultimately wasn’t enough to outgun Marquez.
“This weekend was not the best for us,” he admitted. “We started in a decent way on Friday, but we made a strategy to work with the soft on Friday, expecting to work with the medium on Saturday, but unfortunately, rain on Saturday stopped us, so we started today with some doubts on our feeling.”
Q&A
How did Ducati end Aprilia's winning streak in MotoGP?
Ducati leveraged key advantages in performance and strategy during the Spanish Grand Prix, allowing Alex Marquez to secure victory and end Aprilia's winning streak.
What challenges did Aprilia face at the Spanish Grand Prix?
Aprilia faced significant challenges due to Jerez's track characteristics and Ducati's strong historical performance at the venue.
Who is Marco Bezzecchi and what did he say about the race?
Marco Bezzecchi is a MotoGP rider who explained how Ducati's strengths contributed to the end of Aprilia's winning streak during the Spanish Grand Prix.
What was the impact of the Spanish Grand Prix on the MotoGP championship standings?
The outcome of the Spanish Grand Prix shifted the dynamics of the MotoGP championship, as it marked a turning point for Aprilia after their early season dominance.
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Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing
Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing
Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing
Even so, it was clear from Friday that Ducati had a decisive advantage at Jerez, with Marquez and VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio particularly excelling in practice.
Bezzecchi identified high-speed corners as a key area where Marquez was able to make the difference on the GP26: “Alex here has always been very fast [at Jerez], especially from last year.
“He was very good in the first braking of corner one, but especially in the fast and flowing [corners] like [in] sector three and sector four, he was very quick on the right side. But also at Turn 8, he was very good. In fact, he passed me in the braking of Turn 9.”
Aprilia has made significant strides in the last six-to-nine months to turn the RS-GP into a credible challenger that can perform at a wide variety of tracks. But the Jerez weekend exposed some remaining weaknesses, with Bezzecchi pointing to stability and performance in high-speed sections as areas for improvement.
“I asked many [things from Aprilia] because I try to be more precise,” he said. “The factory worked super hard in Noale, and they bring us many items to try.
“The stability is something that we are still working on, and in the fast part, maybe I suffer a little bit. This was the biggest difference between me and Alex, apart from his lines that were super good.”
Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
Despite his dominant win, Marquez suggested that Aprilia still has the best overall package on the grid.
Both manufacturers are expected to bring upgrades to Monday’s in-season test, before gradually shifting attention to the 2027 regulations overhaul.
“Tomorrow, we'll have a really important test for us and for Ducati to try a few things because I think Aprilia still is a half-step in front of us,” he said. “We need to find something to be a little bit better.”