Ducati has rejected the idea that its 2026 MotoGP motorcycle was developed exclusively around Marc Márquez. Davide Tardozzi described the theory as idle gossip and insisted that the project has not been shaped to one rider’s specifications.

The speculation has been fuelled by Ducati’s championship picture. After the Indonesian Grand Prix, Márquez was the only Ducati rider with more than one victory and was two points behind leader Jorge Martín. Fabio Di Giannantonio was sixth, 110 points away from the top of the standings. Pecco Bagnaia’s struggles since Márquez joined the factory team have added to the impression that Ducati’s development is favouring the Spaniard.

Different solutions for different riders

Tardozzi said Ducati can work with separate solutions for each rider rather than build one motorcycle for Márquez and expect it to behave identically for everyone. The ability to choose components is part of that approach.

Bagnaia offers a clear example: he uses a different fairing from Márquez and, for a long period, also ran a different aerodynamic swingarm setup. Tardozzi included Alex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio in the same principle, with both riders able to select their own component solutions.

The competitive pressure has not disappeared. Tardozzi linked Ducati’s current position, among other factors, to all of the Aprilias being ahead. That situation does not, in Ducati’s view, prove that development of the 2026 motorcycle has become a one-rider programme centred on Márquez.