Marco Bezzecchi
The question on everyone’s minds is whether Marc Marquez is capable of dominating MotoGP for a second consecutive season in 2026.
Doing it either side of a serious collarbone injury would be remarkable, but such heroics are things that fans and rivals have come to expect from him. It’s why he has seven MotoGP titles.
Being close to 100% capacity at the season-opener would feel like a victory for Marquez, who hasn’t had to push a 1000cc machine to its limits in nearly four months.
He has a plan with Ducati to ease himself back into action, knowing that risking reinjuring himself is a move they cannot afford to take at this time of year.
True or false? Ducati’s dominance will come to an end in 2026.
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Marquez isn’t fully recovered yet, and it’s an aspect of his injury that he’s finding quite difficult to cope with.
Ahead of pre-season testing in Sepang, Marquez will have a ‘crucial’ Valencia test to determine whether it’s safe for him to ride. Otherwise, he’ll have very little time to prepare for the Thailand Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Marc Marquez shares his thoughts on MotoGP introducing F1-style team radio
Ducati admit Marc Marquez only complains about their MotoGP bike privately
Marquez showed why he’s a champion on his first day by learning the names and job titles of all his colleagues at Ducati.
It was a reminder of both his dedication and respect for his peers – the sort of move that wins people over and gets them fighting for your cause.
After spending time on the sidelines, Marquez is ‘thinking’ about winning again, and it has always been his main motivation to compete.
The media sees a very protective version of him. According to Ducati, it’s something he does to protect his team, because he does actually complain about their bike.
“It’s worth noting that when we were speaking to Marc, he was doing the usual Marc Marquez thing of ‘Oh yeah, no problems with the bike,'” said Simon Patterson on The Race’s podcast.
“Then when we always speak to the engineers, they’re like ‘No, no, there’s not just something that only Pecco is complaining about, of course. Marc’s complaining about it to us, he’s just not complaining about it to you.”
READ MORE: Francesco Bagnaia told why he’s lucky to be ‘incredible’ Marc Marquez’s MotoGP teammate
Why Marc Marquez is so protective of Ducati’s MotoGP bike
Most great champions don’t have many weaknesses. They certainly don’t like their rivals detecting and exploiting them.
That’s why his approach isn’t to openly criticise his team in public, much like a Fabio Quartararo or Pedro Acosta might do.
By keeping matters in-house, he doesn’t hurt his team’s morale by telling them what they’re doing badly in front of the media.
Overall, it just gives him an easier time on and off the track. Marquez is a very clever man, and his approach is a calculated one.
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