Marco Bezzecchi
Neil Hodgson is worried about Marc Marquez after he lost further ground to the dominant Aprilia riders at the United States Grand Prix. Marquez finished fifth in Austin, where he has been so dominant in the past.
After Marquez won the Sprint race in Brazil, this was seen as the weekend that could potentially launch his season, given his imperious seven-win record at the Circuit of the Americas.
But the reigning world champion had a huge crash in practice, and while he recovered to finish Friday as the fastest rider, he struggled in the decisive sessions. Marquez was outqualified by Francesco Bagnaia, an exceedingly rare occurrence during their Ducati partnership.
Is Marc Marquez’s reaction to his FP1 crash at COTA the biggest hint yet that he could retire from MotoGP in 2026?
He then failed to score in the Sprint after colliding with Fabio Di Giannantonio, an incident that earned him a long-lap penalty for the race. Marquez dropped to 11th when he served it and was ultimately satisfied that he fought his way back into the top five.
‘It’s not right’ – Neil Hodgson on Marc Marquez condition
Marquez lost out when he renewed hostilities with Di Giannantonio in the early stages of Sunday’s race. TNT Sports pundit Hodgson described his racecraft as ‘desperate’ after an ambitious move into turn one allowed the VR46 rider to cut back in front down the hill.
While Kevin Schwantz says Marquez still looks ‘banged up’, the rider himself insists he didn’t aggravate his 2025 shoulder injury in his practice crash.
Marquez missed the last four rounds of his seventh title-winning campaign after undergoing surgery on the joint. He still wasn’t at full fitness by the time the season started, and Hodgson says the problem is still bothering him.
Marc Marquez suffers a high-speed crash at turn 10 in FP1 😳 Rider ok, but how much will it affect his weekend? 🤔
Let us know in the comments below!
“Marc does not look comfortable at all,” said Hodgson. “He looks a bit awkward on there. It was a bit of a desperate move [on Di Giannantonio]. He’s holding his teammate up now.
“We see him pre-race, messing around with his shoulder. It’s not right. It’s the most physical track.”
Marc Marquez must now do something he’s never managed in his MotoGP career
Heading into this weekend, former teammate Dani Pedrosa said Marquez was in uncharted territory in the title race. In all of his other championship seasons, he has won at least one of the first three races.
If Marquez still isn’t in optimal condition, then the extended break before Jerez (owing to the postponement of the Qatar GP) will help him.
Marquez has made a career out of maximising his machinery and operating a level above all those with the same equipment. A lingering injury may be preventing those heroics this year, but there isn’t one, obvious explanation for his decidedly human form.
Massimo Rivola says Aprilia still haven’t faced the ‘real’ Marquez, a clear warning to his high-flying riders. The question, though, is when that version of the #93 will arrive.
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