Ducati split its Le Mans garage by running a new 2026 side fairing on Pecco Bagnaia, Álex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio, while Marc Márquez reverted to GP25-spec 2025 side-fairing elements. Bagnaia said Ducati were experiencing “a pretty difficult time,” but that progress from the Jerez test carried over to Le Mans and he was “much happier” with the new fairing because he could push and control the tires, even as the bike still lacked some turning and stopping performance.

On-track outcomes reflected the split. Bagnaia ran the new fairing and finished third on Friday despite a late crash that produced yellow flags and denied Marc Márquez a final flying lap, leaving Márquez 13th in practice and forced into Q1. Márquez said he feels “considerably slower” on the GP26, lacks front-end feel in fast and left-hand corners and described his Q1 position as “unlucky,” though he reported feeling better through the day. Álex Márquez and Di Giannantonio used the 2026 fairing and progressed directly to Q2, and three Ducati riders filled three of the top four spots on the timesheets. Weather forecasts pointing to a high chance of rain could further shape setup choices before qualifying.

Ducati described the approach as iterative development, testing the new aero on multiple riders while keeping rider-specific setups available. Team manager Davide Tardozzi said “the squad follows each rider’s preferences,” and Ducati noted the split at Le Mans highlighted how rider size, riding style and recent form influence technical direction. Some reports suggested limited units might have led the squad to save the package for Barcelona, and the weekend will provide immediate feedback on whether the 2026 side-fairing delivers the expected turning gains and helps Ducati regain consistent front-running form.