Marc Marquez has revealed that his decision to use the medium rear tyre in the San Marino MotoGP Sprint at Misano was influenced by the spate of crashes suffered by Ducati riders in qualifying. The Spaniard dominated the 13-lap race, leading from start to finish after snatching first place from pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi at Turn 1, mirroring his performance in Aragon two weeks earlier.
Marquez's choice of the medium compound was not without reason. In qualifying, several Ducati riders crashed, including Alex Marquez twice and Fabio Di Giannantonio. All incidents involved losing the front, which suggests that the extra grip from the soft rear tyre was pushing the front – a common issue for Ducati in recent times. This caught Marquez's attention, especially after he himself had a few moments in qualifying, notably a wheelie out of Turn 8 that he described as his "most dangerous" moment.
“I believed that the way to work with the soft [compound rear tyre] was the correct one for the Sprint race, but step-by-step I understand, and we analysed with Ducati, both tyres were very equal; with both tyres it was possible to finish on the podium in the Sprint race,” Marquez said after the race. “But it’s true that the feedback, the data, and all these things give me the idea to go with the medium. I knew that, with the soft, I was able to finish second or third, and with the medium I was able to finish second, third, or the victory. So, gave me that extra boost to fight with Bezzecchi.”
Marquez added that he made the final call to use the medium rear tyre “on the grid”, and one factor pushing him towards it was the number of Ducati riders who crashed in qualifying with the soft rear. “With the medium I was able to manage better,” he explained. “It depends on the bike, depends on the riding style, but with the soft this morning I had some problems that I saw it was a bit risky. As you saw in qualifying many Ducati riders crashed in the same way. With the medium, I believe that it was better for the experience that I have inside Ducati.”
Deeper analysis reveals that the issue for Ducati riders with the soft tyre is the bike's tendency to push the front when rear grip is excessive. This is not a new phenomenon but has been a particular concern over the last season and a half. Marquez's decision to switch to the medium proved correct, as he controlled the race and took the win. Meanwhile, Ducati will need to further evaluate why the soft tyre poses a higher crash risk for its riders, especially at a track like Misano that demands a perfect balance between fast and slow corners.
With this victory, Marquez strengthens his position in the riders' championship and sends a strong message to his rivals. His ability to read conditions and choose the right tyre strategy is a key to his success this season. The Sprint race at Misano also proved that Marquez's experience and data with Ducati give him a competitive edge that is hard to match.
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