Jorge Martin says there is "no gap" between Aprilia and Ducati following the Spanish Grand Prix and he believes it is down to the riders to make the difference as the MotoGP season unfolds.
Aprilia was defeated for the first time this year at Jerez last Sunday, when Alex Marquez took victory for the Gresini Ducati squad. After the factory Aprilias, Marco Bezzecchi and Martin, came home second and fourth respectively, Martin said there was nothing to choose between the two Italian marques.
Asked in his media briefing if Ducati had closed the gap in Spain, he replied: "There is no gap. I think there is no sense to continue comparing Aprilia with Ducati.
"I know it's your job," he joked with the journalists in attendance. "You need to speak about something. But there's no gap.
"The Aprilia and the Ducati are different. One is faster in one point, the other one is faster in another one.
"Today, a Ducati won, with an Aprilia second. I was in fourth, so a bit of a mix. I think it will be like this all season. Ducati versus Aprilia, or, I don't know, Marquez versus Martin versus Bezzecchi.
"So, it's more about the rider than the bike at the moment."
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Martin's countryman Pedro Acosta, who struggled to 10th aboard the factory KTM, on a bad weekend he hopes will be an outlier, was more forthright about Ducati having made progress upon MotoGP's return to Europe.
"It's clear that Ducati woke up again," said the man from Murcia, who went on to offer an opinion on a key storyline in that battle among the top riders: Marc Marquez's struggles.
Once again, Marc failed to assume his usual position as leader of the Ducati brigade. Not only was he unable to match the pace of his brother Alex, he also crashed. Asked about the accident at the fast Criville right-hander, Acosta referenced the injury Marquez picked up in Indonesia last season, just after he wrapped up the world championship.
"It looks like since Indonesia, he's not riding as comfortably as he was last year," said Acosta, who is slated to join Marquez at the Ducati factory team next season. "[That's why] I imagine that he's not at his 100%, because it's quite strange to see Marc crashing in this type of corner."
Marquez reiterated after the Spanish GP that he was fully recovered and fit, but echoed Acosta's observation.
"For some reason, at the moment I'm not feeling [the way I did] last year," he said. "Last year, I was riding in an easy way, always in a good position on the bike. And this year, I'm not able to do it."
Photos from Spanish GP - Sunday
Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pramac Racing
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Johann Zarco, LCR Honda Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team autograph
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The World Championship trophy
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Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
Ducati Corse
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Yamaha
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Ducati Corse
Giacomo Agostini
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Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing umbrella girl on the grid.
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Johann Zarco, LCR Honda Team
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Fans
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Alex Rins, Yamaha Factory Racing
Yamaha
Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
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Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Johann Zarco, LCR Honda Team
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Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
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Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Marc Marquez, Ducati Team, Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Yamaha
Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing, Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
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Franco Morbidelli, VR46 Racing Team
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Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
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Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team
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Johann Zarco, LCR Honda Team, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Márquez, Gresini Racing, Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing
Aprilia Racing
Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
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Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
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