Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez of Ducati admits that his improved pace during qualifying for the 2026 French Grand Prix is a “problem”, as he does not understand why he gained so much.
The 33-year-old had to go through Q1 for the first time in 2026 during qualifying at Le Mans on Saturday, after struggling to find much pace aboard his Ducati GP26 throughout practice on Friday. Yet Marquez flipped the script entirely in qualifying and almost took pole position.
Marquez missed out on taking his second successive pole this season by just 0.012 seconds to his Ducati teammate, Francesco Bagnaia. Two-time MotoGP champion Bagnaia took pole for the French GP with a 1:29.634, after seeing seven-time champion Marquez set the pace.
Can Francesco Bagnaia convert his surprise first pole position of 2026 into his first win in the French Grand Prix? 🤔
Marc Marquez finds his surprising improvement in qualifying for the French Grand Prix ‘a problem’
Neil Hodgson had suggested that Marquez looked “fragile” in practice at Le Mans on Friday, as the Spaniard seemed to be riding within himself and unable to deliver a fast lap time as a result. Marquez only managed a 1:30.371 for P13 during the pre-qualifying practice session.
READ MORE: How to watch the 2026 French Grand Prix and Le Mans weather forecast
Yet Marquez was quick out of the gates in qualifying and progressed through Q1 with a new lap record for Le Mans at 1:29.288. He even continued to set the pace at the start of Q2, but he ultimately had to settle for second after his Ducati GP26 appeared to develop a late issue.
The huge difference between his pace in practice this Friday and setting a new lap record for Le Mans during Q1 in qualifying on Saturday has worried Marquez, however, as he does not understand how he found so much more time. His best lap time in Q2 was even a 1:29.646.
Marquez told TNT Sports 2 (09/05, 10:45): “I’m in a moment that I don’t understand how I’m riding, and it’s a problem. I mean, I’m laughing, but it’s a problem because I need to understand the way I’m riding.
“Because I can be fast, as I showed today, and as I showed in [the] previous races, but I cannot be consistent. So, it’s there where I’m working.
“I don’t know how today I improved [by] one second, because the bike is, more or less, they work, but the base set-up is more or less. So, [it] is myself, and it’s there where I will try to improve next race.”
Marc Marquez admits Francesco Bagnaia is ‘faster than me’ at Le Mans
What was your reaction to Marc Marquez’s new Le Mans lap record in Q1?
Davide Tardozzi certainly enjoyed it… 😮💨
Despite his improved single-lap pace during qualifying for the French GP, Marquez does not expect to have the pace to battle Bagnaia for the win in the Le Mans Sprint. The 33-year-old thinks his pace in practice suggests he is only strong enough for the lower end of the top 10.
Marquez added: “I don’t know. I cannot say to you, because if you check the pace of free practice, I’m meant to fight for a top 10 [or] eighth. But starting from the front row, let’s see if I can follow the top guys. But Pecco and some of them are faster than me this weekend.”
Sprint Races have been where Marquez has shone the brightest so far this season, with wins in Brazil and last time out at Jerez. He also finished the Buriram Sprint in P2, after a late-race penalty made Marquez give the Sprint Race win in Thailand to Pedro Acosta on the final lap.
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