Here’s a bold statement: The 2025 MotoGP season wasn’t just about Ducati’s dominance—it was about Aprilia’s quiet revolution. And this is the part most people miss: Even with Marc Marquez sidelined, Aprilia didn’t just compete; they closed the gap to Ducati in ways that reshaped the season’s narrative. But here’s where it gets controversial: Did Ducati’s grip truly slip, or did Aprilia simply rise to the challenge? Let’s dive in.
Davide Brivio, the Trackhouse team principal, is unequivocal: “However you look at it, Aprilia reduced the MotoGP gap to Ducati.” His confidence isn’t unwarranted. Despite Marquez’s absence—a factor that undeniably altered the season’s dynamics—Brivio points to the data. Ducati started the year with a stranglehold, sweeping podiums in the first eight races, both Grands Prix and Sprints. By the halfway mark, they’d repeated this feat eight more times. Yet, their dominance waned in the second half, with only one podium sweep at the Balaton Park Sprint.
“At the beginning, Ducati’s riders were everywhere,” Brivio told Crash.net. “Three, four, even five Ducatis consistently leading the pack. But by season’s end, while Ducati remained strong, the field was more mixed—Aprilia, KTM, and occasionally Honda were right there with them.”
Marc Marquez’s injury at Mandalika was a turning point. Ducati still secured four of the last eight races (one GP and three Sprints) with Gresini GP24 riders Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer, but their overall control seemed less absolute. “Ducati remained competitive, but they were less dominant,” Brivio noted. “Race weekends became far less predictable compared to the season’s start.”
But here’s the controversial part: Was Ducati’s reduced dominance a result of complacency after securing the title, or was it Aprilia’s relentless development that forced their hand? Brivio acknowledges multiple factors but credits Aprilia’s progress. “Once you’ve won the title, maybe you ease off a bit,” he speculated. “But Aprilia kept pushing—small updates, operational tweaks—and it paid off.”
Aprilia’s turnaround was nothing short of remarkable. After a disastrous start, with Raul Fernandez and Jorge Martin injured on the opening day of the Sepang test, they didn’t secure a podium until Round 7 at Silverstone, courtesy of Marco Bezzecchi. Yet, they ended the season winning three of the final four GPs, including Fernandez’s debut victory for Trackhouse. “This highlights Aprilia’s development prowess,” Brivio emphasized. “They improved race after race, and it’s why the gap to Ducati narrowed.”
While Ducati secured a one-two finish in the championship with Marc and Alex Marquez, Aprilia’s Bezzecchi claimed third, and the team finished second in the constructors’ standings. Fernandez, with a Sprint podium at Mandalika and a runner-up finish at Valencia, ended tenth overall for Trackhouse. But the real question is: Does Aprilia’s rise signal a new era of competition, or will Ducati reclaim their undisputed throne in 2026? What do you think? Let’s debate in the comments!
