Motorcycling-Gresini's Marquez keeps faith in Ducati despite Aprilia's early dominance


Mar 29, 2026; Austin, TX, USA; Gresini Racing Alex Marquez (73) rides during the 2026 MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of the United States at Circuit of The Americas Austin. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

April 17 (Reuters) - Gresini Racing's ⁠Alex Marquez is confident that Ducati's leadership can ⁠pull a rabbit out of the hat and ‌conjure up another championship-winning formula despite Aprilia's early-season MotoGP form.

The last four MotoGP champions have all ridden Ducati motorcycles, while the Italian manufacturer has ​also won the last four constructors' ⁠championships.

However, Aprilia riders Marco ⁠Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin occupy the top two spots after ⁠three ‌rounds this season, with Bezzecchi claiming a hat-trick of victories to start his campaign.

VR46 Racing's Fabio ⁠Di Giannantonio is the best-placed Ducati rider in ​fourth, while ‌last year's champion Marc Marquez of Ducati is fifth.

"(Ducati) ⁠have always ​been the ones pulling rabbits out of the hat for years, the ones who when people said 'the bike can't be improved ⁠any further' went and built an ​even better bike," Alex Marquez, who is eighth in the standings, told MARCA in an interview published on Thursday.

"That's why ⁠I believe their approach and the way they work is the right one, and they have that hunger to keep dominating. That's why I believe in them so much. ​Ducati's goal, if there are six ⁠bikes on the grid, is to have all six up ​front."

The fourth round of the MotoGP ‌season takes place at the ​Circuito de Jerez in Spain on April 26.

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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