Spanish rider Marc Márquez has revealed that his main weakness during the 2026 MotoGP season is the feeling with the front end of his Ducati. During the tests held in Jerez, the defending world champion worked to improve this aspect, which has caused problems in his performance so far.
On Monday, the Ducati team presented several improvements, including a new front fairing and a swingarm. Despite these changes, Márquez finished the day in fourth place on the timesheet, just over three-tenths of a second behind Aprilia rider Ai Ogura, who recorded the best time.
So far, Márquez has had a challenging season, achieving two sprint victories but failing to podium in the Sunday races. His performance during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend ended in disappointment, as despite securing the Pole Position, he fell on the second lap of the race.
The Jerez tests allowed Márquez to experiment with new components and adjust his feeling with the front tire. The 33-year-old rider felt encouraged by the progress made: “We have been working especially on aerodynamics and also looking for improvements in the chassis. It was important to regain the feeling with the front tire, which has been one of our weakest points this year,” he stated.
With three races scheduled for May and an additional test after the Catalonia Grand Prix, the Ducati team hopes that the new parts tested in Jerez can be implemented soon. “Ducati is working very hard. We’ve had many components in this test, and that has made me happy,” Márquez declared.
Although Ducati achieved its first victory of the season last Sunday, it remains to be seen if they have a more competitive package than Aprilia, which has been dominating in the early races of the year. For Márquez, the tests have provided valuable information: “All the riders have given similar feedback, and this is positive for improving our performance”.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
