Marc Marquez admits he is enjoying a much lighter burden in the 2026 MotoGP season. The world title he clinched last year, 2025, has transformed his life and removed the immense pressure that once weighed on his shoulders. Yet his competitive instinct remains intact. On the opening day of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at Motegi, Friday (3/4/2026), the Spaniard made it clear he will still go all-out in qualifying and the race.
“Last year's title changed my life and took away the pressure,” Marquez said. “But my approach hasn't changed. I still want to perform at my best and fight for victories.”
In the first free practice (FP1) held in the morning, Marquez immediately showed his speed. Despite the track still being half-wet, he set the fastest time. In the afternoon Practice session, he had to settle for third. However, the result did not dampen his spirits.
“I felt good from the start,” he explained. “There's new asphalt here and we still need to find the limit. It may sound strange, but with new asphalt, it's actually easier to crash.”
Marquez explained that new asphalt provides abundant grip, but when you lose it, it happens suddenly. “People say new asphalt means more grip, but we always try to go to the limit. With new asphalt, you have a lot of grip, and once you lose it, it goes in an instant. So we have to manage the small details and try to maximize it. There's still work to do.”
Regarding the conditions and balance of his Ducati GP26, Marquez was quite positive. “The new asphalt is good and there's a lot of grip. That makes the gaps close. We have to keep working, especially to understand the rear tire. It seems the bike's balance changes when we switch tires. But we still have time.”
The lap record already broken by his younger brother, Alex Marquez, on Friday led Marquez to predict a very tight qualifying session. “Qualifying will be a tough task, especially because everyone will be very fast. It seems with the soft rear tire, you don't just have one lap to set a fast time. After two or three laps, the tire still performs well. So everyone gets multiple chances.”
Marquez also highlighted the performance of Pedro Acosta, who he believes is currently faster. “I think Pedro is faster than me right now, both in race pace and over one lap. Alex did an excellent time attack with the soft tire. With the medium, he struggled a bit, but those on the soft tire were very fast. Tomorrow I really need to test that soft tire.”
Besides Acosta, Marquez named Francesco Bagnaia, Ai Ogura, and Jorge Martin as riders who are quick over a single lap. The competition at Motegi is expected to heat up ahead of Sunday's race.
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