Martin's first Aprilia comment highlighted what Ducati is missing: “It’s no secret”

Fabio di Giannantonio believes Jorge Martin highlighted Ducati's biggest MotoGP weakness the moment he stepped onto an Aprilia for the first time.

The topic resurfaced after Pecco Bagnaia secured his first on-track grand prix podium of the season at Mugello, where the latest Inside Ducati video captured the following exchange between the Italian and crew chief Cristian Gabarrini.

Asked if the front feeling had improved, Bagnaia replied: “We’ve taken a step forward… By shifting our weight forward, we’ve improved.”

At Balaton Park on Thursday, di Giannantonio, Ducati’s leading rider in the world championship, expanded on why the front end of the Desmosedici has become such an issue - and how it connects with rear tyre wear.

“It’s a year and a half since I joined the Ducati factory programme and I am saying that we should improve the front, because I think it is the key to maximise the performance,” said the VR46 rider.

“I think at the moment Aprilias are entering the corners in an incredible way. What makes them save the tyres until the end is that they do what you have to do with the front and then they exit the corner with the rear.

“We are much more linked with the rear, and we do everything with that. So if you are super, super good with the management of the rear [tyre] you can have a chance.

“But still, you never have the chance to be aggressive and have the precision of the front of the Aprilia at the moment.”

di Giannantonio, currently third in the championship behind Aprilia duo Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, said Ducati riders are forced to take greater risks with the front tyre in order to preserve the rear.

“I did all the Mugello race saving the rear, but closing the front ten times. You need to risk a lot with the front and [Aprilia] are much more precise.”

"It's not a secret"

The Italian then pointed to Martin's first impressions of the RS-GP after leaving his title-winning Pramac Ducati in 2024.

“I think it is not a secret at all. When Martin joined Aprilia, if you remember the test in Barcelona, the first comment was ‘the front is amazing’. I think that what’s missing at the moment for us,” Diggia said.

The Catalunya winner believes Ducati could previously mask the issue because it held larger advantages in other areas.

“I think in the years when Ducati were ahead of the competition in many more areas. Now the competition worked, and in some things are the same as us,” he said.

“So now that we are pushing the bike to the real limit, the front is the more critical point and becomes more visible.

“Because we never changed that much in the front, it has been out little weak point.

“If you remember Pecco in 2023 in Austin he was saying the bike was too good, and then suddenly he was losing the front. He never understood why.

“Me, Pecco and sometimes last year Marc was struggling with the front.

“Marc for sure was amazing but he would crash with the front without knowing it.

“It has always been a super bike, our bike, and the package is incredible but still the front has always been a thing to think about.

“Now that the level is really high and we really have to push to the maximum level, to squeeze the bike, the front starts to be an issue.”

Ducati does it all with the rear

Ducati’s only grand prix wins this season were by Alex Marquez in Jerez and then di Giannantonio in Barcelona. The other five have been won by Aprilia, including last weekend’s Mugello round.

“I am not saying we don’t have chances. For sure our bike is incredible and we can fight with the Aprilia, but at the moment they have a little something extra than us…

“As I said before, Aprilia brakes [more] with the front and uses the rear to exit the corners.

“We do it all with the rear. So if, sometimes, you don’t manage the rear you can have a massive drop.”

di Giannantonio arrives at Balaton Park 39 points behind leader Bezzecchi and 22 adrift of Martin.