MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing has warned that Ducati’s straight-line speed advantage may not translate into easy overtakes at the 2026 Thai MotoGP, citing the growing parity among manufacturers at Buriram.
Ducati’s GP26 again demonstrated strong top speed during pre-season testing, with Francesco Bagnaia clocked at 342km/h on day one. A revised ride-height device appeared to enhance the Desmosedici’s acceleration on the straights, a critical factor at Buriram where the opening sector places heavy emphasis on engine performance and traction efficiency.
However, Marquez stressed that marginal gains in terminal velocity are insufficient to guarantee clean overtakes in the current technical landscape of MotoGP, where aerodynamic development and launch devices have compressed performance gaps.
“You need more than 2km/h to overtake cleanly.
“It’s not easy. Here I was behind some Aprilias and also some Hondas. They are quite similar.
“So, it will not be easy to overtake on this track.”
Speed trap data from the final day of testing underlined that convergence. Aprilia Racing approached 340km/h, while the fastest Honda reached 338km/h, narrowing Ducati’s historical advantage on long straights. In slipstream conditions, such margins could neutralise the Desmosedici’s traditional superiority.
The 2026 campaign also marks a structural shift for Marquez, who now benefits from full factory-spec Ducati machinery for the first time. After finishing runner-up in the 2025 championship, he described the expanded technical input not as pressure, but as opportunity.
“It’s not just responsibility, it’s more the opportunities.
“Last year there were zero opportunities. This year you have many opportunities to make your package better and better.
“But it’s something you need to take care of, not to lose the way or confuse the team and yourself.
“Now it makes sense to test and have things to try. It’s interesting.”
With performance margins tightening across manufacturers, the Thai season opener will provide the first definitive assessment of whether Ducati’s straight-line strength remains decisive, or whether competitive convergence will redefine overtaking dynamics in 2026.
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The official 2026 MotoGP calendar features 22 rounds, including the return of the Brazilian Grand Prix and a season opener in Thailand.
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