APRILIA AND DUCATI SET FOR TIGHT MANUFACTURERS’ TITLE FIGHT

Aprilia and Ducati head into the final stretch of MotoGP’s 1000cc era separated by just 10 points in the manufacturers’ championship, with Aprilia currently in front. Their contest has become a second major storyline alongside a close riders’ title fight, led by Jorge Martin after the Austrian Grand Prix. Marc Marquez is 12 points behind, while Marco Bezzecchi sits third, 14 points off the lead. Fourteen races remain in the riders’ campaign, and Fabio Di Giannantonio is fourth.

Ducati began the season behind its rivals for the first time since 2020. At the opening round, Pedro Acosta won the sprint and Bezzecchi took the Grand Prix, leaving KTM and Aprilia level at the top of the manufacturers’ standings. Ducati’s six consecutive constructors’ titles had made it the benchmark, but that run of dominance was suddenly under pressure.

Aprilia took the lead at the next event in Brazil, the first time the Noale manufacturer had topped the standings since its project began. Bezzecchi’s strong form helped extend the advantage, while all four Aprilia riders contributed points. Trackhouse riders Ai Ogura and Raul Fernandez have also become important contributors to the factory’s campaign.

Ducati, by contrast, has relied heavily on reigning champion Marquez. His broken foot at Le Mans coincided with the manufacturer falling further behind, as the other five Ducati riders offered only occasional support. Di Giannantonio was among those to make a notable contribution at the chaotic Barcelona round.

Marquez’s double victory in Hungary began Ducati’s recovery. Bezzecchi’s crashes at Assen and the Sachsenring further shifted momentum, and after the German Grand Prix Ducati had cut the gap to 11 points, helped by another Marquez double. The manufacturers traded blows at Silverstone and Aragon, but Aprilia then suffered a disastrous second home round: the Marquez brothers finished at the front, Bezzecchi crashed, Ogura was absent, and Jorge Martin struggled with cramps. Ducati returned to the top of the manufacturers’ table, while Marc Marquez also moved into the riders’ lead after overturning a 102-point deficit.

That advantage did not last. At the Red Bull Ring, a circuit long associated with Ducati success, the Desmosedici riders were only the third-strongest group. Acosta led the way for KTM, while Martin, Bezzecchi and Ogura scored heavily for Aprilia. Their results put both Martin and Aprilia back on top of their respective standings; Ogura even finished ahead of Marquez.

With seven events scheduled—and potentially only six if the Qatar Grand Prix is cancelled—the Italian manufacturers are fighting not just for this year’s honours but for the distinction of being the final champions of the 1000cc era. Both are pursuing permitted chassis, aerodynamic and detail updates to find an edge. KTM has established itself as the third force, while Honda and Yamaha occupy fourth and fifth as attention increasingly turns to their 850cc prototypes and the next technical era.