Alex Marquez Rebounds at Jerez MotoGP 2026 After Slow Start

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing delivered a strong response during Friday practice at the 2026 Spanish MotoGP in Jerez following a challenging start to the season.

The Spaniard arrived at his home round having scored 59 fewer points than at the same stage last year, sitting eighth in the standings without a podium finish. However, the extended break since COTA allowed the team to reassess its approach, resulting in immediate improvements on track.

From a technical perspective, Ducati introduced updated rear aerodynamics—first seen on the factory bikes in the United States—alongside electronic refinements aimed at improving braking stability and corner entry. Additionally, Francesco Bagnaia hinted at an unspecified modification being used by Marquez, although no further details were disclosed.

Baca JugaStarting Grid Sprint MotoGP Jerez 2026 Dipimpin Marquez

Marquez explained that starting the day with a 2025 base setup provided a stable foundation, while a shift in mindset also played a crucial role in the turnaround.

“Really important day for us. I won’t lie, we needed it,” Marquez told MotoGP.com.

“We were able to analyse many things over the last four weeks and also change our mindset and approach to the weekend, focusing less on the negatives and more on the positives.”

He emphasized that the combination of circuit characteristics and internal adjustments allowed performance gains to come naturally.

“It’s true that I love Jerez, but everything came in a very easy way, and that was extremely important,” he added.

A strategic decision during the session further highlighted his confidence, as he opted not to attempt a second time attack on fresh soft tyres, instead focusing on long-run pace.

“I didn’t even use the last soft rear tyre. I chose to work on race pace and was still able to lap in the 1:36.6 range,” he explained.

Despite the encouraging performance, Marquez stressed the importance of maintaining focus, particularly given the strong form of Aprilia Racing at the start of the season.

“We are on the right path, but we must stay focused because others will improve tomorrow, and we need to do the same. We’ve seen how strong Aprilia is, so we cannot relax,” he stated.

He also identified qualifying performance as a key objective, with track position expected to play a decisive role in both the Sprint and the main race.

Meanwhile, team-mate Fermin Aldeguer also secured direct progression to Q2 in eighth place, underlining Gresini’s competitiveness at Jerez. Elsewhere, Jorge Martin received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Marquez during the closing stages of the session.

With technical updates and a revised approach delivering immediate results, Jerez represents a pivotal moment in Alex Marquez’s 2026 campaign. The next phase of the weekend will determine whether this resurgence can be converted into tangible results in the championship fight.