Marco Bezzecchi
Carlo Pernat has revealed that he disagrees with what people have been saying about Marc Marquez after watching him at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Following back-to-back victories in Hungary and Czechia, Marquez arrived in Assen looking to complete a hat-trick of wins.
However, it turned out to be a tough weekend for the seven-time MotoGP world champion as he only managed to finish in seventh place.
In the end, it was Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura who won the Dutch Grand Prix, ahead of Raul Fernandez and Jorge Martin.
Heading into the weekend, many people felt Marquez was back to his 100% best after winning two races in a row.
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Carlo Pernat believes Marc Marquez is ‘struggling’ after disappointing Dutch Grand Prix
Pernat disagreed with the general consensus, as he is adamant that the 33-year-old is ‘struggling’ both physically and with his Ducati bike.
The Italian felt that Marquez has been ‘battling’ his bike and made a tyre ‘gamble’ at the Dutch Grand Prix that proved he was in ‘trouble’.
In addition, he said that there is ‘a bit of confusion’ in Marquez’s mind, claiming he needs a break ‘more than anyone’.
Pernat told GPOne: “It must be said that Marquez is struggling. Marquez is struggling—that has to be acknowledged. He is struggling physically, in my opinion—I am convinced of this, even if others disagree—but I also think he is struggling with the bike.
“Because this bike never simply obeys; you always have to make adjustments using different tactics. Look at Bagnaia: sometimes he seems fast, other times not.
“But I repeat, Marquez is also battling the bike. He is fighting two battles: a personal, physical one—unfortunately for him—and the battle with the bike, which still needs to be sorted out.
“In this Grand Prix, too, he made a specific choice: he and his brother were the only ones to use the soft rear tyre, while everyone else used the hard compound.
“These are the kinds of choices you make when you are in trouble—specifically, technical trouble. Normally, a tyre gamble is a card played by those further back in the field, in the last few rows, in hopes of making something happen.
“Perhaps there is a bit of confusion in his mind, too. Let’s wait for the next race at the Sachsenring, and then there will be a well-deserved break—he needs it more than anyone.”
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Following the Dutch Grand Prix, Martin is now the new leader of the world championship after Marco Bezzecchi suffered a huge crash in Assen.
Meanwhile, Marquez remains fifth with 153 points, 40 points adrift of Martin.
Despite admitting that he is not thinking about an eighth title in the premier class, it is well known that with his talent and the pace of the Ducati bike, Marquez cannot be ruled out of the fight just yet.
The 2026 MotoGP campaign will resume in two weeks’ time with the German Grand Prix.
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