According to Motorsport.com Italia, the Indonesian Grand Prix brought a historic sweep for Aprilia at Mandalika with four RS-GP machines leading the long race, yet the weekend ultimately left Ducati in a surprisingly solid position. Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi pointed out that despite the blow dealt by Aprilia, Marc Marquez managed to leave the island of Lombok trailing Jorge Martin by just 2 points—the exact same margin as before the weekend started.
Following the Japanese Grand Prix, Tardozzi had noted that losing around ten points would have been an acceptable outcome on a circuit historically tough for both the #93 and the Desmosedici GP. Speaking to Sky Sport MotoGP after the race, Tardozzi admitted the reality of the situation. "If we look at the pure result, which is arriving at -2 and leaving at -2, for us it is a success," Tardozzi said. He added that while Aprilia proved decisively superior—more so than hoped—upcoming tracks like Phillip Island will offer a better test, though he believes the world championship remains completely manageable with 185 points still on the table.
It's simply like that because all the Aprilias are in front,
Tardozzi also addressed potential team orders from Aprilia, who admitted they might soon ask other riders, including those at Trackhouse Racing, to assist "Martinator" in his fight against Marc. Tardozzi noted that such a move is logical and well within their rights, contrasting it with Ducati's historical approach of providing equal machinery to satellite riders while acknowledging that Aprilia is fighting a rival manufacturer.
Meanwhile, a notable talking point has emerged: Marc Marquez is the only Ducati rider currently sitting inside the top five of the championship standings. Some have argued that this imbalance stems from the Desmosedici GP supposedly being developed entirely around the nine-time champion to the detriment of other riders. Tardozzi utterly rejected that narrative as pub talk.
"It's simply like that because all the Aprilias are in front," Tardozzi stated. Dismissing the idea that Marquez steered the bike's development exclusively toward his own preferences, Tardozzi explained that development choices and parts have been handled across the roster. He highlighted that Pecco used a different fairing than Marc, alongside a different swingarm aerodynamics setup for a long time, emphasizing that every official rider—including Alex Marquez and Di Giannantonio—has the freedom to select their own components rather than relying on a single specification tailored only to Marc.
