Marc Márquez has highlighted his main weakness during the MotoGP test in Jerez, focusing on the need to improve the feel with the front end of his bike. This is an issue that has conditioned him throughout the 2026 season.
The current world champion evaluated a new front setup and a swingarm during the session, where Ducati presented several updates to tackle the competition from Aprilia. Márquez finished the day in fourth position, just over three-tenths of a second behind Ai Ogura, Trackhouse’s rider, while the Aprilia riders took the top three positions with a very successful version of the RS-GP.
After a disappointing weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, where he secured pole but fell in the second lap of the race, Márquez has been working to restore his confidence in the GP26. Despite achieving two wins in sprint races, he has yet to reach the podium in Sunday races.
At the Jerez test, the 33-year-old rider focused on optimizing the updates and improving the feel with the front tires. “We mainly worked on aerodynamics, but we also made modifications to the chassis. It was important to regain the feel with the front tire, as that is where we are finding the most difficulties this year,” Márquez commented.
With a busy May of races scheduled in Western Europe, the rider hopes that some of the new components tested in Jerez can be implemented soon. “Ducati is working very hard. We have tested many parts and I am happy, as it has been an interesting test,” he added.
The Barcelona champion considers it essential to evaluate the innovations and decide when to introduce them, with another test scheduled in Barcelona in three weeks. “There are components that may be useful immediately, but others will need more time. We will arrive at Le Mans with a different layout and likely different weather,” he concluded.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
