DUCATI NEEDS BAGNAIA’S SUPPORT TO CHASE THE CONSTRUCTORS’ TITLE

Ducati head to the Australian Grand Prix facing a fight to retain their MotoGP crowns, with Aprilia leading all three championships and Marc Marquez carrying much of the Italian manufacturer’s challenge. The constructors’ title is particularly important to Ducati: a report by El Periodico describes it as the most valuable accolade for manufacturers because it lets them market their road bikes as world champions. Ducati reportedly sold 50,895 motorcycles and earned €925 million after winning all three titles in 2025.

Marquez has won six of the past 11 races and is just two points behind Jorge Martin in the riders’ standings. But his form has not been matched by his teammates. Pecco Bagnaia, ninth in the championship and 187 points behind Marquez, has not reached the podium since Brno. Fabio Di Giannantonio has not stood on the podium since winning in Barcelona, while Alex Marquez has taken only two podiums. Fermin Aldeguer has been hampered by injury, and Franco Morbidelli has struggled with the GP25.

That uneven contribution has helped Aprilia build a 12-point advantage over Ducati in the constructors’ standings before the Australian round. Only each manufacturer’s highest-placed rider scores for that championship, and Aprilia have had a rider in the top three in all but three races. Ducati, by contrast, have gone without a podium in seven races. Marquez is currently the team’s only rider regularly capable of winning or finishing near the front.

The constructors’ contest matters beyond sporting prestige. Ducati is owned by Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group, and the source reports that the company could be sold amid financial pressures that have led to 100,000 job cuts. With Audi keen for Ducati to secure the title, Marquez needs Bagnaia to help close the gap rather than shoulder the campaign alone.

Bagnaia’s difficulties have continued from the GP25 to the GP26, with a lack of rear grip among the problems he is seeking to address. Ducati will need to help him find a more consistent setup if it is to challenge Aprilia across the remaining races. Team manager Davide Tardozzi has said Ducati is not built solely around Marquez; the team now has an opportunity to demonstrate that by supporting Bagnaia and getting more from its other riders.

Marquez has credited Aprilia with giving him a chance to return to the title fight, but Ducati’s immediate priority may be the manufacturers’ crown. Bagnaia is set to join Aprilia in 2027, yet after two riders’ championships and other successes with Ducati, he has reason to want to finish his current spell strongly. His results could prove crucial to the team’s effort to meet its owners’ expectations.