Marquez Takes Blame for US GP Struggles, Eyes Jerez Improvement
Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez has pointed the finger at his own performance rather than any perceived limitations of his Ducati machine for his underwhelming fifth-place finish at the recent United States Grand Prix. The Spanish superstar, still in the process of recovering from a shoulder injury that curtailed his successful 2025 season, endured a challenging weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) – a venue where he historically dominated during his illustrious tenure with Honda.
Marquez’s aspirations of adding to his seven previous victories at Austin were already hampered following a long-lap penalty incurred for a collision with Fabio di Giannantonio of VR46 during the sprint race. The situation worsened in the early stages of Sunday’s main event, as he found himself embroiled in a tight battle for fourth, fifth, and sixth positions with di Giannantonio and Honda’s Joan Mir.
The penalty loop further compounded his woes, seeing him drop outside the top 10. While he managed to claw back some of the lost ground, a podium challenge ultimately proved beyond his reach. Even without the penalty, Marquez acknowledged that a victory at COTA would have been an unlikely scenario.
“Podium, yes. Fighting for the podium, [yes], but not for the victory,” he conceded, reflecting on the weekend. “We paid for the mistake of yesterday, and that’s what happens now in MotoGP… but we did the maximum.”
Aprilia’s Ascent and Ducati’s Dip
The early stages of the 2026 MotoGP season have seen a significant shift in the competitive landscape. Aprilia has emerged as the manufacturer to beat, with factory rider Marco Bezzecchi securing victory in the opening three Grand Prix events. The US GP marked the second occasion in just three rounds that Ducati, Marquez’s current marque, failed to secure a podium finish. This represents a stark contrast for the Borgo Panigale factory, which had built an impressive streak of 88 consecutive podiums dating back to the 2021 British Grand Prix.
However, Marquez remains steadfast in his assertion that his own form, not the bike, is the primary factor behind his current struggles. He specifically highlighted difficulties in maintaining pace during the opening laps of races.
“I’m missing; myself is missing, not the bike,” he stated. “In the first laps, when the tyres are new, the bike becomes more aggressive, and I can’t ride at the moment.”
He elaborated on this point: “I was fast in the beginning, and then in the end, I felt better and better, like normal. Now we have three weeks to try to improve the first laps.”
A Crucial Break and an In-Season Test
The postponement of the Qatar Grand Prix has created an extended break in the MotoGP calendar. The next round is scheduled for 25-26 April at Jerez, Spain. This hiatus will be followed by an official in-season test, offering riders and manufacturers a vital opportunity to refine their machinery and strategies.
Marquez firmly believes that he is no longer the decisive factor on the bike and that his own development, rather than improvements to the Ducati, is paramount to regaining his front-running status.
“Jerez will be a different kind of track, but in the end, when you are fast, you are fast everywhere,” he remarked. “There, we will try to take a step, especially I want to make a step [forward] – myself more than the bike.”
He continued, expressing his determination to understand and overcome his current limitations: “I need to understand well how to improve the first laps. I don’t feel well on the bike. It looks like I get used to a position on the bike, not a natural position, and then I’m just riding. I’m still fast, but I cannot make the difference.”
