Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi believes Aprilia missed an opportunity to dominate the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, arguing that changing weather conditions prevented the Italian manufacturer from fully showcasing its pace.
Aprilia had looked particularly strong in dry conditions during Friday practice, with Marco Bezzecchi leading the way as the RS-GP bikes secured an impressive 1-2-4-5 result. The performance suggested that Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin could be serious contenders for victory over the weekend.
However, rain during Saturday's qualifying session changed the picture. Marc Marquez took pole position for Ducati, before the manufacturer secured a clean sweep of the top three positions in the sprint race under dry conditions.
Despite Ducati's strong results, Tardozzi felt the sprint did not tell the full story of Aprilia's competitiveness.
“They've been unlucky because it's obvious that in dry conditions Bezzecchi was very competitive,” Tardozzi said, pointing to the Italian rider's speed throughout the weekend.
Bezzecchi backed up that assessment with an impressive recovery in the sprint, climbing from ninth on the grid to finish fourth. His performance demonstrated that Aprilia remained capable of challenging Ducati, even after losing the advantage of its strong Friday showing.
Martin also looked capable of fighting for victory before his race ended in disappointment. The reigning world champion engaged in a close battle with Marquez for the lead, with Tardozzi believing the contest could have continued until the final lap.
Source: Grande Premio
“It would have been head-to-head until the end,” the Ducati manager said.
Martin eventually crashed on lap eight while pushing to stay in contention. The accident left him with a non-displaced fracture of the radius in his right arm, casting doubt over his participation in the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.
The setback came at a crucial stage of the championship. With Sunday's Australian Grand Prix cancelled, Marquez retained a 10-point advantage over Martin, while Bezzecchi remained third, 50 points behind the championship leader with four rounds remaining.
Although Martin's injury has complicated his title ambitions, Tardozzi warned against overlooking Bezzecchi's chances. The Ducati manager expressed considerable respect for the Aprilia rider and suggested that the points gap could still be overcome.
“I have huge respect for Marco. I think that 50 points is nothing,” Tardozzi said, adding that Bezzecchi had the potential to win every remaining race.
The championship fight now heads towards the Malaysian and Qatar rounds, where Marquez will look to protect his advantage while Aprilia aims to convert its apparent dry-weather speed into stronger results.
For Aprilia, Phillip Island offered both encouragement and frustration. Bezzecchi showed that the RS-GP could challenge at the front, but Martin's crash and the disrupted weekend left the team with questions over what might have been.
