Marc Márquez has identified the final element preventing him from fully maximising Ducati’s potential in the 2026 MotoGP season, despite already showing strong pace on the bike.
The reigning champion enjoyed a mixed weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix. He secured victory in the Sprint race, but could only battle for a podium position in the main event, ultimately falling short of the top three. While his outright speed was clear, Marquez pointed to one specific weakness that made the difference.
According to Marquez, the issue lies in the opening laps of a race. He admitted that a lack of “feeling” early on is costing him valuable time, particularly when the field is tightly packed.
Source: The Star
This early-phase struggle proved decisive in Brazil. Marquez lost significant time in the opening stages, allowing rivals to break away. By the time he settled into a stronger rhythm, the gap was already too large to recover fully.
His race was further complicated by on-track battles, including duels with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Jorge Martín. Fighting in traffic meant he was unable to access clean air, which is crucial for maintaining consistent pace at the front.
Despite this, Marquez remains confident in the overall performance of the Ducati. He made it clear that the bike itself is not the problem, suggesting that once he improves his early-race feeling, he can consistently challenge for wins.
The gap to victory in Brazil highlighted this point. While Marco Bezzecchi crossed the line comfortably ahead, Marquez believes much of that deficit came from the opening laps rather than a lack of outright speed.
Encouragingly for Ducati, this is a relatively specific and solvable issue. Marquez has already demonstrated that over race distance he can match the leading pace. The focus now shifts to improving his starts and early-race confidence to avoid losing ground in the critical opening phase.
If that adjustment comes, Marquez’s form suggests he could quickly turn strong performances into consistent victories as the 2026 season progresses.
