Ducati returned to winning ways in MotoGP thanks to a dominant performance from Alex Marquez at Jerez, but the Borgo Panigale manufacturer didn’t hold back in Monday’s post-race test, introducing a raft of new components that went well beyond simple aerodynamic tweaks.
Marc Marquez took to the track on a Desmosedici featuring several unpainted composite parts, making the updates clearly visible. At the front, a new fairing stood out, with a wider profile extending to the edges of the front wing and pushing forward towards the airbox, abandoning the previous arrow-like shape.
The wing elements themselves have also been revised. The lower wing now features a thicker leading edge, while the upper wing has reduced incidence and a noticeably narrower chord. The impression is that Ducati’s aerodynamic department, led by Gigi Dall'Igna, is aiming for a greater contact surface to alter the behaviour of the front end.
The intake slot has also been redesigned, losing its previous tuning-fork shape and adapting to the altered airflow coming from the front. Meanwhile, the diffuser in the lower section of the fairing continues to channel a significant volume of air, further enhanced by an upper blowing solution designed to improve airflow filling and overall efficiency. The gap between the diffuser and the central bodywork appears reduced, suggesting a move towards increasing a Venturi-like effect.
Other details have not been overlooked. The step in the fairing remains, along with the vertical side panel, but the edges are now more rounded and incorporate a larger, less vertical air intake beneath the step. Ducati has also retained its controversial leg wings, despite previously opposing such designs over the winter.
One of the most eye-catching changes was at the rear, where a revised swingarm combines a metal structure with new carbon-fibre coverings, further underlining the extent of Ducati’s development push.
In contrast, Francesco Bagnaia and Alex Marquez ran a more familiar aerodynamic configuration first seen during pre-season testing at Sepang. That package, identifiable by its stepped fairing and smoother lower section without the pronounced 'canyon', had previously been set aside but is now back under evaluation.
All signs point to Ducati making a concerted effort to extract performance that has so far remained untapped in 2026.
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