Alex Márquez will ride a full factory-spec Ducati in 2026, it has been confirmed a move made possible in part by Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team, albeit unintentionally.
This season Ducati supplied three current-spec bikes, used by Marc Márquez, Francesco Bagnaia, and Fabio Di Giannantonio, while Alex Márquez, Fermin Aldeguer, and Franco Morbidelli rode last year’s model. The plan for 2026 is to expand to four factory machines. As Ducati’s secondary squad, VR46 were given first refusal by Luigi Dall’Igna but chose not to add a second GP26, leaving the door open for Gresini.
Aldeguer was contractually due a factory bike but has lost out, with Ducati opting instead to reward Alex Márquez after his breakout 2025 season. Rossi, meanwhile, decided against the extra expense of a GP26 for Morbidelli, who recently extended his deal but will stay on year-old machinery. Reports suggest Rossi would have invested in another factory bike if he had succeeded in luring Pedro Acosta from KTM, but with that option blocked, he dropped the idea.
Given the current engine freeze and the fact the regulations cycle ends soon, the technical gap between Ducati’s GP25 and GP26 should be small. For Alex Márquez, however, the symbolic value is huge, marking him as a prime candidate for a 2027 factory seat if his form continues.
VR46 reportedly pay around £1.7m annually for each factory bike, making Rossi’s decision easier to understand. Di Giannantonio will step up to a GP26 next year, while Morbidelli watches on, hoping for his own chance. For the third time in four seasons, Gresini look set to finish as Ducati’s top satellite outfit.
Be the first to comment