Ducati finds itself in an unfamiliar position: trailing in the 2026 MotoGP title race. Team manager Davide Tardozzi has revealed that the Italian squad must change its approach, drawing on a lesson from their legendary rider, Casey Stoner.
After a disappointing Austrian Grand Prix, where Marc Marquez could only manage fifth, while Jorge Martin of Aprilia dominated to extend his lead to 12 points, Tardozzi insists it's time to attack.
“Consistency, yes, but also speed and aggression,” Tardozzi told GPOne. “We've reached the point where we need to attack. As the great Casey Stoner taught me, you tackle the first half of the championship with your head and the second half with your heart.”
The lesson from Stoner, Ducati's 2007 world champion, is key. Tardozzi acknowledges the championship is still wide open but has become complicated. “There are at least a couple of tracks where, based on recent history, our rivals are much more competitive than we are,” he added.
Ducati's struggles in Austria centred on the stiffer rear tyre carcass Michelin brings to high-heat tracks. This made it hard to optimise performance. “I think Gigi [Dall’Igna] is the first one who isn’t satisfied with this situation,” Tardozzi noted. “I have no doubt that he’ll try to find a solution, either by bringing something new or making adjustments ahead of the upcoming races.”
Ducati had previously won on this tyre in Austria and Thailand, but this time they were beaten. Aprilia, particularly through Martin, were superior all weekend. “Clearly, Aprilia has done a good job and is now reaping the rewards of that work,” Tardozzi admitted. “The world championship is still wide open. We didn’t expect to lose so many points here, but we have to give them credit.”
With the Japanese Grand Prix next, Ducati must bounce back. Tardozzi insists his team will work hard to return to competitiveness. “Now, it’s up to us to bounce back in the upcoming races,” he concluded.
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