Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati’s Marc Marquez finds the riding style required for the higher cornering speeds reached during races in 2026 is completely contrary to how he wants to ride his bike.
Marquez has endured a tough start to the 2026 season, which many thought was due to his ongoing recovery from the surgery he needed in October on his shoulder injury. But the 33-year-old tried to clarify at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix that his fitness is not the issue.
Seven-time MotoGP champion Marquez arrived at Jerez claiming that he was finally content with his physical state after a four-week break. Yet questions continued to linger throughout the round, and Marco Melandri says Marquez is at his “physical limit” with where he is now.
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Marc Marquez cannot ride naturally with the increased cornering speed seen in races in 2026
Similarly, Jorge Lorenzo does not think Marquez is riding “comfortably” despite suffering the coracoid fracture and ligament damage in his right shoulder more than six months ago. Also, Pedro Acosta thinks it is “clear” that Marquez is struggling to ride naturally due to the injury.
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However, on top of the ongoing fitness issues that Marquez might prefer to dismiss, a bigger issue emerged at the Spanish GP. According to AS, ‘everything’ now points to Marquez being unable to ride the Ducati GP26 ‘naturally’ as a result of MotoGP races being faster this term.
It is believed that Marquez is struggling to cope with the increased cornering speeds seen so far in 2026, as the challenge is ‘more demanding’ and has required a riding style ‘completely contrary’ to his. Marquez is especially struggling when his Ducati is less stable early in races.
Also, Marquez crashed out of the Spanish GP through one of Jerez’s faster bends at Turn 11 while trying to stay with his brother, Alex Marquez, after losing the lead of the race. He finds it the most challenging in the early laps, but he can build into the races when the tyres wear.
His crash from P2 in Spain marked Marquez’s second failure to secure a point in a Grand Prix this season, having also retired in Thailand. Ducati saw Marquez retire from the Thailand GP due to a puncture after damaging his wheel rim on a kerb when he ran wide through Turn 5.
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