Is Ducati really Italian? You’ve never asked, but one ex-MotoGP racer has the answer
Former MotoGP racer and WorldSBK Champion Max Biaggi says Ducati is not really Italian.
Aprilia is the only Italian manufacturer in MotoGP, Max Biaggi has said in a jab aimed at Ducati.
Both Aprilia and Ducati, of course, are located in Italy’s Motor Valley, along with major car brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani.
But while Aprilia is owned by Italian company Piaggio Group, Ducati was bought by Audi in 2012 and remains under that ownership.
This is the point that Biaggi has been not especially subtle in making when speaking to TNT Sports.
“I've been Aprilia's Ambassador for almost 10 years,” Biaggi said, as reported by GPOne.
“It's a great privilege for me to be associated with this manufacturer, which is honestly the only Italian one in this paddock, because we know that Ducati is German due to Audi's ownership.
“We are very proud of this, and the Piaggio Group has done an extraordinary job.”
It’s an interesting point for Biaggi to make. Not least, of course, because Aprilia uses an Indian factory to build some of its bikes, including many of its scooters and its mid-capacity RS 457 and Tuono 457.
Either way, in the context of MotoGP, the two Italian manufacturers – or the Italian and German manufacturer if you happen to be an Aprilia ambassador – are among the most exciting heading into the 2026 season.
Ducati is looking for its fifth riders’ title in succession after Francesco Bagnaia’s back-to-back crowns in 2022 and 2023, Jorge Martin’s 2024 triumph, and Marc Marquez’s demolition of the field in 2025.
Aprilia, on the other hand, marked itself out as the second-best factory in grand prix racing last year, winning four races in total, including three of the last four and the last two in succession.
