Marc Marquez: Ducati “cannot hide” from half-second deficit to Aprilia in Indonesian GP

Marc Marquez, the reigning MotoGP world champion, has admitted that Ducati is currently at least half a second behind Aprilia in the Indonesian Grand Prix. The deficit became apparent during the Friday practice session at the Mandalika circuit, where Aprilia riders dominated the session, claiming the 1-2-3 slot. Raul Fernandez led the way, breaking the circuit record, followed by Marco Bezzecchi in second, and Marquez himself in fifth, a full 0.7 seconds behind Fernandez and 0.5 seconds behind the top Aprilia rider.

This gap, despite initial optimism from Marquez, has proven to be a persistent challenge. Ducati's struggles at Mandalika are not new, with the track continuously proving difficult for the team. The team admitted that while they started Friday on a positive note with the second-fastest time in FP1, Aprilia had quickly established a significant advantage throughout the weekend.

Marquez reiterated his determination to give 100% effort all weekend, but admitted that a podium finish appears unlikely given the current gap. The Spaniard acknowledged that even a podium spot would require a significant turnaround in his performance, particularly in the time attack segment, which he often struggles with at this circuit. His focus, therefore, remains on accumulating as many points as possible to boost Ducati's standing in the championship.