– The MotoGP weekend in Thailand went anything but as desired for Alex Marquez. After starting from seventh on the grid, the Gresini rider finished eleventh without points in Saturday’s sprint race following early contact with Fabio Di Giannantonio, and in Sunday’s Grand Prix, he crashed while running in eighth place.
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The Spaniard had already hinted on Friday that the season opener was taking place under special circumstances. When asked how much the situation had changed compared to the previous year, Marquez explained that while the overall package was stronger, they were not yet getting the maximum out of it.
“Yes, it’s different because I think we have many more options,” he said. “I believe we have better potential, but we didn’t have time to work on it.”
Alex Marquez searching for the perfect set-up
During the pre-season tests, many parts were tried, “a different bike on almost every run”. In the process, the most important thing was neglected: “We didn’t have time for the crucial part, which is the base set-up.” That’s exactly why the Gresini rider feels slightly less ready with the GP26 than last year.
They now need some time to unlock the potential. However, he is not worried about it: “We are on the right track. I’m struggling a bit with one point that was really strong last year, which is traction, but I think that’s something we can solve quite easily.”
Photos: Alex Marquez, MotoGP: 2026 season opener in Thailand (Buriram)
The fact that the competition has also made a step forward is another factor. “It’s not that the bike is worse,” Marquez emphasized. “I think we have more potential. We just need to understand better how to get it out.”
Stability is important here: “We must not confuse ourselves by trying too many parts. We have to bring everything that works together.”
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Small progress in the sprint race
In the sprint, the team tried to address the traction problem with a small change. “Because it’s strange. Last year we were really fast and could make a difference in terms of the apex and traction. But this year I don’t feel comfortable with it,” said Marquez.
The modifications had at least brought slight improvements. Therefore, he takes “a few positive points” from the sprint race, even though the final result remained disappointing after the early contact with Di Giannantonio.
Crash after problems with the front
An improvement in Sunday’s Grand Prix was slow to materialize. “I never really felt good with the front,” Marquez describes his problems in the long race.
It was difficult to stop the bike in some places, which eventually led to the crash. “At that point, I made a small mistake, a stupid mistake. I lost the line a bit and then the front.”
That meant another zero result for the Spaniard, who admits bluntly: “It’s not the start we want.” Nevertheless, he wants to stay calm: “We have to keep going and stay positive. It’s only the first race.” Especially since there were special conditions at the season opener in Thailand.
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Marquez explains that the reinforced, harder tire carcass caused additional problems. At the same time, the manufacturers as a whole have taken a step forward. This makes it all the more important to work together as a team: “There are still 21 races ahead of us, so stay calm, don’t panic and keep going.”
