Ducati brought an Aprilia-inspired rear-swingarm aerodynamic solution to Phillip Island, and Marc Marquez says the manufacturer cannot afford to dismiss ideas simply because they originated with a rival. The reigning champion was the only rider to finish between the Aprilia RS-GPs on Friday, as the Australian circuit’s fast corners again suited Aprilia’s machinery. Marquez led FP1 before ending the afternoon session third fastest behind Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez.

Marquez retained the new device because it did not immediately make the Ducati feel worse. In his view, that is enough to justify further development: a new part that does not reduce performance may still offer more once its behaviour is properly understood. He added that Ducati still has several aspects of the solution to investigate, but praised the factory for continuing to bring new ideas with five rounds remaining in the 2026 MotoGP title fight.

The rider also rejected the idea that Ducati is merely copying Aprilia. Marquez said an engineer, rider or any other person cannot be arrogant enough to rely only on personal ideas. Manufacturers can learn from one another, he argued, while competitors are naturally watching each other in an effort to improve. His conclusion was that the Ducati device should not be viewed as a simple “copy and paste” exercise, but as part of the normal technical competition in MotoGP.

Friday’s timing order gave Ducati an encouraging reference point, although it did not settle the weekend. Jorge Martin, Marquez’s title rival, was two positions behind him and still led the championship by two points. Alex Marquez was the next-fastest Ducati rider in sixth. Marc Marquez described the dry-weather work as useful, but warned that forecast rain for Saturday and Sunday could change the picture. If conditions turn wet, Ducati will need to adapt; for now, the Phillip Island running has given the team a direction to evaluate rather than a guaranteed advantage.