Ducati copies swingarm fins and Aprilia responds with upgraded version

MotoGP is moving towards a new set of technical regulations that will reduce the influence of aerodynamics, but that does not mean manufacturers have stopped experimenting with new solutions in this area.

Until a few years ago, motorcycles featured little more than simple wings, but aerodynamic development has been relentless since then. First came the stepped fairings, followed by tail fins, which became the next frontier as they are not subject to homologation under the current regulations, allowing manufacturers to develop them without restrictions. The same applies to fork wings and seat wings, which have gradually appeared on the bikes of every manufacturer.

Now, attention appears to have shifted towards the swingarms, which have increasingly been covered by aerodynamic fairings. Aprilia, however, has opened up another avenue of development.

At Silverstone, when MotoGP returned from its summer break, two new vertical fins appeared on the RS-GP, extending upwards from the rear section of the swingarm (pictured above). The likely purpose is to help manage the turbulence generated by the rear wheel, which has long been one of the biggest challenges for aerodynamicists.

Aprilia has continued to use the solution regularly since its introduction, and it has now seemingly inspired a rival manufacturer. At Phillip Island last weekend, a similar design appeared on Marc Marquez's Ducati.

Evidently, Ducati engineers have studied their rival's solution closely and concluded that it could also work well on the Desmosedici GP. The results must have been encouraging, as Marquez continued to use it during the opening day of practice at Sepang (pictured below), where he topped both sessions.

Aprilia, however, has no intention of standing still. A further evolution of the concept arrived in Malaysia, with a new version fitted to Marco Bezzecchi's RS-GP. The updated design could be described as an angled L-shape, extending not only upwards but also towards the rear of the motorcycle (pictured in the main image).

The fact that manufacturers are continuing to develop these solutions with just four rounds remaining in the current regulatory era suggests they could also prove useful in 2027.

After all, the aerodynamic restrictions for next year primarily concern lateral dimensions, whereas this particular component protrudes considerably less than the widest sections of the fairing.

Furthermore, the 850cc regulations will also require homologation for tail units, but make no mention of swingarms. Could this therefore become an important area of aerodynamic development – and a new battleground – next season?

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