Veteran MotoGP rider manager Carlo Pernat believes that Aprilia’s 2025 RS-GP was already a stronger package than Ducati’s championship-winning bike.
Despite Ducati enjoying one of its most successful seasons by securing all three world titles and winning 17 out of 22 races, Pernat feels the results were heavily influenced by Marc Marquez. The Spaniard claimed 11 victories to comfortably take his seventh MotoGP crown and his first with the factory Ducati team.
However, the 2025 Ducati did not work as smoothly for everyone. Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio both struggled with inconsistency, with Bagnaia managing only two wins compared to 11 the year before.
Aprilia, meanwhile, enjoyed its best-ever MotoGP season. The RS-GP won four races and finished second in the manufacturers’ standings, with a strong second half of the year seeing the Noale-based brand frequently fighting Ducati at the front. This late-season surge has raised expectations of a genuine title challenge in 2026.
Pernat acknowledged that Marquez was the key difference for Ducati, but questioned whether that advantage alone will be enough next season. In his view, Aprilia has not only caught up, but may already have moved ahead in terms of bike performance.
He pointed out that Alex Marquez finished second overall on an older GP24 Ducati, while Aprilia consistently showed strong pace. Based on what he observed, Pernat suggested the 2025 RS-GP could even be superior to the current Desmosedici.
Pernat also praised Marco Bezzecchi’s remarkable progress in 2025. With two wins and third place in the championship, Bezzecchi impressed with his maturity, work ethic and determination, qualities Pernat says are rarely seen at that level.
