Here is the thing, the paddock is currently locked in a fiery debate over whether Marc Marquez earned his looming title or if Aprilia simply let a championship slip through their fingers. According to Motorsport.com Italia, former MotoGP world championship runner-up Andrea Dovizioso has now stepped into that exact controversy through his podcast, delivering a blunt verdict on the machines and the riders.
While giving full credit to Marc Marquez and Ducati Team, Dovizioso argues that the true benchmark on the track was actually the combination of Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia Racing. The Italian rider insists that pairing was faster overall, making the missed opportunity a bitter pill to swallow.
That argument directly follows intense post-race discussions in Qatar. Massimo Rivola, CEO of the Noale racing department, pointed to the sheer talent of the rider from Cervera after watching a stunning comeback wipe out a 102-point deficit to build a 60-point lead across 13 Grands Prix. As Rivola stated to Sky Sport MotoGP, four RS-GP machines were sometimes simply not enough to stop the #93 machine.
Naturally, that drew a sharp response from Davide Tardozzi, team manager of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer. Tardozzi countered that alongside four rival machines, there are six Ducati bikes on the grid, with others taking wins too. He emphasized that victory requires a complete package: a fast champion, a competitive machine, and flawless sporting and technical management.
Dovizioso, currently serving as a Yamaha Factory Racing Test Rider and Rider Performance Advisor, acknowledged the incredible mental strength of Marc Marquez following his operation, noting that the rider feels in the best mental shape of his career. Yet the former Bologna stalwart maintains that the raw ingredients were firmly in the hands of their rivals.
As Dovizioso put it in his podcast, if your machine proves more competitive across multiple tracks and you hold a massive advantage of more than 100 points, failing to seal the deal means the chance was thrown away. Marquez made a massive difference mentally, but the combination of Bezzecchi and Aprilia ultimately failed to capitalize on being the fastest force on the grid.
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