Aprilia gets Melandri’s edge over Ducati in MotoGP title race
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 27, 2026
Aprilia consistency
Marco Melandri said Aprilia have been the steadier force across the 2026 MotoGP season and deserve the constructors’ championship. Aprilia lead Ducati by six points in the standings, and both manufacturers have eight victories apiece, but Melandri said the difference comes in how often Aprilia put multiple riders near the front. He pointed to Marco Bezzecchi, Jorge Martin, Ai Ogura and Raul Fernandez as race winners for Aprilia, a spread that has kept the factory in the title picture even when one rider has run into trouble. Ducati, by contrast, has leaned heavily on Marc Marquez, with Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio supplying one win each. Melandri said that pattern has left Ducati more vulnerable when the bike is not at its best, because the other riders have struggled to compensate. His view lines up with the numbers in the standings and the results sheet. Aprilia have stayed close at a variety of circuits, collected wins with different riders and kept the pressure on Ducati through the season. That balance, Melandri said, is what separates a front-running team from one that depends too much on a single rider. He made the case that Aprilia’s broader strength gives them the edge in the manufacturers’ fight, even with Ducati still dangerous at the sharp end of the championship.
Ducati response
Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi pushed back on the idea that Aprilia were fortunate in Australia and argued the weather clouded the picture at Phillip Island. He said Aprilia were unlucky because changing conditions hid the RS-GP’s pace in dry running, and he said Bezzecchi and Martin had both shown strong speed before the sprint ended. Tardozzi also said he still sees the title fight as open, even after Marc Marquez stretched his lead in the championship. Marquez won the Australian Grand Prix sprint and moved 10 points clear of Martin, with Bezzecchi 50 points back in third. The main race never went ahead because poor weather and limited helicopter visibility forced the event off the schedule, which only sharpened the focus on the sprint result. Tardozzi said he still believes Aprilia are the favorites for the 2026 MotoGP title, and he said Marquez is not the favorite. He also said Aprilia can be stronger than Ducati at several of the remaining circuits, a view that matches the way the season has unfolded. Aprilia have produced race winners from different parts of the garage and have kept both the riders’ championship and the constructors’ race alive. Ducati still holds the edge with Marquez at the front, but Tardozzi’s comments showed how much respect Aprilia has earned inside the paddock. The gap between the two factories remains small, and the fight has little room for error.
Martin injury
Martin’s injury has added another layer to the championship chase. The result is a test of recovery as much as speed, with the team waiting to see how quickly he can return.
