Davide Brivio believes that Aprilia has significantly closed the performance gap with Ducati in the 2025 MotoGP season, despite the absence of Marc Marquez. The Trackhouse team principal highlighted Ducati’s strong start, noting their riders secured podium finishes in the first eight races (combining GP and Sprint events). Ducati maintained their dominance by achieving eight more podiums by the midpoint of the 22-race season, with riders also securing an additional podium at the Balaton Park Sprint.
Brivio acknowledged that Ducati showed a clear advantage early in the year, often having three to five riders leading the pack. Although Ducati’s Desmosedici remains possibly the best bike by season’s end, Aprilia and KTM, along with Honda, sometimes produced even stronger combinations. The dynamics shifted after Marquez’s injury at Mandalica, affecting the season’s latter stages. While Ducati’s Gresini GP24 riders Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer claimed four wins across the past eight races, Brivio observed a reduction in Ducati’s overall dominance.
He noted that race weekends have become more unpredictable than at the season’s start, a change influenced by factors like Marquez having already secured the title and possibly easing off. While praising Ducati’s outstanding performance and dominance, Brivio pointed out that competitors are closing in.
With Marc Marquez sidelined, Aprilia had its best season ever with the RS-GP, winning three of the last four GPs, including an inaugural victory for Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez. This was a stark contrast from their shaky start, marked by injuries to Fernandez and Jorge Martin during the Sepang Test. It wasn’t until Round 7 at Silverstone that Aprilia secured their first podium and victory thanks to Marco Bezzecchi. Brivio praised Aprilia’s consistent development work throughout the year, which included many small updates and administrative improvements, ultimately making the races more competitive and less predictable.
Ducati secured a one-two finish in the World Championship with Marc and Alex Marquez, while Aprilia finished second in the constructors’ standings, with Bezzecchi placing third. Fernandez also claimed a sprint podium at Mandalica, finishing second behind Bezzecchi in the Valencia final and ended 10th overall with Trackhouse.
Fan Take: This news is exciting for MotoGP enthusiasts because it signals a shift in the competitive landscape, with Aprilia emerging as a genuine challenger to Ducati’s dominance. It promises a more thrilling and unpredictable racing season ahead, which could invigorate fan engagement and elevate the sport’s appeal globally.
