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Ducati believe unpredictable weather conditions during the Australian Grand Prix weekend prevented Aprilia from showcasing their true potential, underlining the impressive dry-weather pace of the RS-GP.
The Noale-based manufacturer was widely tipped to dominate at Phillip Island after Marco Bezzecchi topped the timesheets as Aprilia placed four bikes in the top five during Friday practice. Saturday, however, told a completely different story. Ducati's Marc Marquez claimed pole position in a wet qualifying session before spearheading a Borgo Panigale podium clean sweep in the dry Sprint.
Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi was quick to emphasize that the Sprint results did not reflect the true balance of power. He noted that Jorge Martin's blistering pace prior to his crash and Marco Bezzecchi's recovery from ninth to fourth were clear indicators of Aprilia's underlying strength.
"I think they were simply unlucky, because it was obvious how competitive Bezzecchi was in the dry. He managed to fight his way through from the third row up to fourth place. Martin made a mistake, but he was riding exceptionally fast. I can't say whether Marc would have beaten him in the end, as it was shaping up to be a fight right down to the wire, but unfortunately Jorge slipped up," Tardozzi explained.
The duel between Marquez and Martin produced some of the most thrilling racing of the season, with the title protagonists swapping the lead multiple times in a high-stakes battle for race victory and championship supremacy. However, Martin made a couple of errors before crashing out on lap eight, sustaining a fractured hand.
Subsequent medical evaluations confirmed no bone displacement, sparing the Spaniard from immediate surgery and keeping the door open for him to attempt to race in this week's Malaysian Grand Prix.
Tardozzi backed the former Pramac Ducati rider to show his trademark fighting spirit despite the injury:
"I'm pleased to see he'll be on track at Sepang. That shows the injury isn't as severe as first feared. We know Martin's qualities all too well. He is a fierce competitor, an immensely fast rider, and he will do everything in his power to push us to the limit."
Following the cancellation of Sunday's full-distance feature race, Marquez holds a 10-point lead over Martin at the top of the standings, with Bezzecchi sitting third, 50 points adrift. Four rounds remain in the championship, provided the race in Qatar goes ahead as scheduled on November 8.
While the weekend's outcomes enhanced Marquez's prospects of securing a 10th world title, Ducati remain adamant that the championship fight is far from settled. When asked which rival poses the greater threat in the title run-in, Tardozzi said:
"It all comes down to Jorge's physical condition. I have massive respect for Marco. In my view, a 50-point deficit is nothing. Marco has the pace and potential to win every single race between now and the end of the championship. Having that 50-point cushion is great for us, but it certainly doesn't mean we can relax. As for Jorge, his fitness will be the deciding factor. I don't expect him to be in contention for the win at Sepang, but his performances in Malaysia and Qatar will define his championship hopes going into the final stretch."
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