Ducati Lenovo Team star Marc Marquez had to settle for sixth place during the main race of the Indonesian Grand Prix at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. The Spanish rider admitted he simply could not match the blistering pace of the Aprilia machines throughout the weekend. Despite losing the championship lead, the nine-time world champion remained upbeat, emphasizing the importance of damage control and avoiding unnecessary risks in the heat of the 2026 title fight.
Entering Sunday's Grand Prix with high confidence following his Sprint victory on Saturday, Marquez enjoyed a strong start but quickly realized he lacked the raw speed to battle at the front. He ultimately crossed the finish line in sixth position, trailing strong competitors including Pedro Acosta and Ai Ogura.
The sixth-place finish forced Marquez to surrender the championship summit back to Jorge Martin, who capitalized on a third-place finish to grab a two-point advantage at the top. Despite the shift in standings, there was no major panic inside the Ducati camp as the team valued consistency over reckless riding during a demanding 27-lap encounter.
“If someone had told me on Thursday that I would only lose three points to Marco Bezzecchi this weekend and score the same points as Jorge Martin, I would have signed for it immediately. We’ve had a great weekend and been consistent. Especially in the second half of the race we struggled, but I am satisfied with how the weekend went,” Marquez stated.
Observers noticed Marquez conceding positions relatively easily during the race, particularly struggling for traction around turn 10. The veteran racer confirmed that letting rivals through was a calculated maneuver to protect his championship ambitions from disastrous crashes.
“I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks. With twelve laps to go, I felt my pace was reasonable, but I also knew that Acosta and Ogura would eventually pass me. Maybe Di Giannantonio would have done so too, but he dropped back later. My plan was simply not to take unnecessary risks,” he explained.
Addressing technical limitations, Marquez pointed out that his rear tire dropped off significantly in performance while the front specification performed flawlessly. This drop in rear grip prevented him from sustaining a competitive race pace over the full distance, forcing him to accept that Aprilia held a superior package on Indonesian tarmac.
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