Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez’s 2026 season has not started as he would have wanted, and Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali thinks it stems from his lack of winter testing.
The 33-year-old had little to no pre-season in 2026 due to his injury the year before. Marquez suffered a serious knock to his right shoulder after a crash with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia.
Are Marc Marquez’s injuries finally catching up with him?
It was initially thought that surgery was not required, but the injury turned out to be far more serious. The Spaniard is still feeling the effects of it today, having not scored a podium thus far in 2026.
Marquez no longer knows what his 100% is after suffering so many crashes and injuries in his career. His title defence is proving much more challenging in 2026, and his turbulent winter has been labelled as the cause of the issues.
Claudio Domenicali says Marc Marquez’s 2026 woes stem from a lack of pre-season testing
Aprilia have taken a huge step forward in 2026, with Bezzecchi winning every Grand Prix thus far. But Massimo Rivola says Aprilia have not fought the real Marquez yet as the Ducati star continues to struggle with his fitness.
CEO Domenicali says the winter period cost Marquez dearly, as he did not get enough time to adjust to the GP26. But despite his problems, he firmly believes that he can still offer Ducati a lot more.
Domenicali told Corriere Romagna: “But I think he’s got a lot to offer. Well, unfortunately he had a nasty crash at the end of last year, he was out of action for a long time, he missed the whole winter.
“And so that also limited the number of tests he was able to do, and so during winter testing, things didn’t go as they should have, so that also affected the start of the season a bit.
“Perhaps he isn’t even, I think, quite back to 100% yet, but he’s definitely a rider with extraordinary determination and incredible talent, so he can certainly still achieve a lot at Ducati.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend
Marc Marquez insists he is the problem, not the bike
Dani Pedrosa thinks Marquez is telling him ‘everything is fine’ after yet another injury. He will certainly be more cautious, as one more crash could spell the end of his incredible career.
Marquez’s struggles could also be attributed to Ducati no longer having the fastest bike on the grid, with Aprilia surging forward. However, the Spaniard is insisting that it is all down to him.
Marquez has said the problem is him, ‘not the bike’, admitting to his engineers that he was struggling after the last race in Austin.
Following a month off in April, Jerez could be season-defining for Marquez and Ducati. If he still has not physically recovered and the team cannot close the gap to Aprilia, it could be the end of his title chances.
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