– Marc Marquez is still searching for his usual form with which he became the dominant MotoGP world champion in the 2025 season. In the current 2026 season, the defending champion is ranked fifth after four race weekends. Marquez has not won a Grand Prix since September 2025 (Misano).
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The injury that Marc Marquez sustained in early October 2025 during the unfortunate Mandalika crash with Marco Bezzecchi is part of the explanation why he cannot consistently call upon his usual strong form at the moment. However, the shoulder injury is not the whole explanation. The Ducati Desmosedici GP26 is also currently not as competitive as Marquez was used to from the GP25 last year.
This weekend, the fifth round of the 2026 MotoGP calendar takes place in the form of the French Grand Prix in Le Mans. Since the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, there was an important Monday test there, where both Marquez and Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia found a somewhat better feeling for the GP26.
On Thursday in Le Mans, Marquez again highlights the Jerez test as an “important test,” but at the same time clearly states: “If we want to fight for the world championship, we have to correct a few things.” From the further statements of the seven-time MotoGP world champion, it becomes clear that by “we” he primarily means himself and secondly the Ducati factory team.
Fast left corners currently the biggest weakness
What Marc Marquez misses most compared to his dominant performances in the 2025 season is the right feeling for the front wheel. When asked where he misses his desired feeling most with the GP26, he answers: “I notice it especially in the fast corners. Those are the sections where I struggle the most. Especially in left corners, I am significantly slower than last year.”
Marquez undoubtedly sees potential in the Ducati GP26. He has won two of the four sprints this season (Goiania and Jerez). Additionally, his brother Alex Marquez won the Grand Prix in Jerez on a GP26. “The potential is determined by the results. And the results show that the speed is there, but the consistency is not,” says Marc Marquez.
The area of consistency is what he now wants to work on more intensively: “Last year, consistency under all conditions, on every type of track, was our great strength. We now have to understand why that is not the case this year.”
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Inconsistency: Marc Marquez holds himself accountable
“For some reason, this year has been significantly more inconsistent so far. I believe we will sort that out step by step. But it is also clear that with our current results, especially on Sundays, we don’t need to think about the title,” says Marquez.
When specifically asked whether it is his motorcycle or himself as a rider that is currently not working as consistently as in 2025, the MotoGP defending champion answers: “It is a combination. I will never put everything on the motorcycle. At the same time, a team will never put everything on the rider. It is a combination of factors.”
“The fact is that a Ducati won in Jerez,” Marc Marquez refers to his brother Alex’s Grand Prix win and emphasizes: “That shows that the motorcycle is good enough for wins and the world championship fight. I just have to find out for myself what I can improve now.”
“If I wanted to have last year’s motorcycle, I would have it available. So if I want to find my feeling from last year again, I have those parts and everything I had last year available,” says the Ducati factory rider, who emphasizes: “I just have to keep working on myself.”
In the MotoGP paddock, more and more doubts are now arising as to whether Marc Marquez will ever find his usual strong form again. Has the seven-time MotoGP world champion passed his peak?
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Marquez himself does not want to go that far on Thursday in Le Mans. “We will see. We have to keep at it. I myself have come back from more difficult situations. I just have to keep at it. I have to try to manage certain things. Then we will see.”
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