MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing admits the Ducati GP24 suited his riding style better, but believes the GP26 offers greater development potential despite a difficult start to the 2026 MotoGP season.
The Spaniard entered 2026 as a leading title contender after securing three grand prix victories and finishing runner-up in the 2025 standings. Those results were achieved on Ducati’s 2024-spec machinery, which earned him a step up to a factory-spec GP26 with Ducati for the current campaign.
However, after the opening three rounds, Alex Marquez sits eighth in the championship standings, with a best result of sixth at the Brazilian Grand Prix. This marks a significant contrast to the same stage in 2025, when he finished second in every sprint and main race, briefly leading the championship.
Ducati’s slower start has coincided with a dominant opening phase from Aprilia, as Marco Bezzecchi claimed victory in all three opening grands prix, with the factory team securing 1-2 finishes in both Brazil and the United States. Despite this, Alex Marquez dismissed concerns about the GP26’s competitiveness.
“This bike may have changed slightly, not too much, but when the competition is strong, you put the bike under more strain,” he said.
“I’m struggling a bit more with this bike, but we have better options.”
He explained that while the GP24 aligned more naturally with his riding characteristics, the GP26 requires a more detailed setup approach, offering broader tuning possibilities that could unlock performance gains over time.
“The GP24 suited my riding style better, but the GP26 can be fine-tuned,” he added.
“Even though it’s only the third race, there’s no need to panic; we need to wait until the fifth or sixth.”
According to Marquez, Ducati is actively working to respond to Aprilia’s early dominance, focusing on refining the technical package to regain competitiveness in the coming rounds.
Confidence in a potential turnaround has also been echoed by Jorge Martin, who suggested Ducati could return to winning ways as early as the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Alex Marquez shares that expectation but cautions against overreacting to individual race results.
“Hopefully it will be Jerez, similar to last year,” he said.
“But it’s not like if we struggle at Jerez, we will struggle for the entire season.”
He also acknowledged the personal adaptation required when transitioning from a well-understood bike to a new package, stressing the importance of self-evaluation alongside technical development.
“You move from an ideal bike to one that requires more adaptation. I also need to improve; during this break I’ve done a lot of self-criticism.”
With both rider adaptation and technical refinement ongoing, the early phase of the 2026 MotoGP season represents a critical period for Alex Marquez and Ducati. The upcoming rounds, starting with Jerez, will provide a clearer indication of whether the GP26 can return to a competitive level comparable to its predecessor.
Baca Juga
Alex Marquez akui GP26 Ducati lebih sulit dibanding GP24 di awal MotoGP 2026, namun yakin masih punya ruang pengembangan untuk bangkit.
Jack Miller menilai rencana regulasi Moto3 2028 perlu dikaji, menyoroti ban, mesin produksi, dan dampaknya terhadap keselamatan serta kompetisi.
Marc Marquez menilai dominasi Aprilia di MotoGP 2026 bukan kejutan, dengan performa Marco Bezzecchi sudah terlihat sejak pramusim.
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