Marc Marquez “didn’t have everything he normally has” at Brazil MotoGP

Marc Marquez’s former team-mate Dani Pedrosa sees the reigning MotoGP champion as being in damage limitation mode at the start of the 2026 campaign.

The Ducati Lenovo rider, who missed the final five rounds of last season due to shoulder surgery, kicked off the new season strongly by fighting Pedro Acosta for victory in the Buriram Sprint.

Marquez would have won that battle without a late penalty, but victory was already out of reach by the time he was forced out of the grand prix with a broken wheel rim.

Brazil then saw Marquez bounce back by narrowly defeating fellow Ducati rider Fabio di Giannantonio to win the Sprint, his first victory since last September.

But Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi again dominated the grand prix, backed up by team-mate Jorge Martin, while Diggia turned the tables on Marquez to claim third.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

All of which leaves Marc Marquez just fifth in the standings heading into this weekend’s COTA event.

“He looked a bit uncomfortable on the bike… Especially on the undulations and when he tried to push hard: the bike immediately told him no,” GPOne.com quotes Pedrosa as saying of Marquez during his punditry work for DAZN.

“Marc has a special ability to manage the limit. That’s why he managed to stay close to di Giannantonio without letting him pull too far ahead. He fought for the podium until the end, but he didn’t have everything he normally has.

“I don’t know if it’s a physical issue, a setup issue, or both. But he struggled. Marc is someone who knows how to push through the pain, and that’s why he stayed in the fight.

“We’re seeing a Marquez who realises he’s not at his best and is trying to take home as many points as possible until he’s competitive enough to win again.”

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

All of Marquez’s seven MotoGP title-winning seasons started with at least one grand prix victory from the opening three rounds.

In that respect, COTA is his last chance.

“If you look at Marc’s titles, it’s rare that he hasn’t won at least one of the first [GPs],” Pedrosa said.

“This could be the first time he starts without winning [GPs] and still manages to win the world championship.”

A Marquez victory on Sunday in Texas would mean bringing Bezzecchi’s streak of leading all 101 laps since last year’s penultimate Portimao round to an end.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

“I think they’ve found the right balance. Between aerodynamics, traction, and cornering ability, without losing top speed,” Pedrosa said of the impressive RS-GP.

“They have the right balance of everything: stability, corner entry, grip, and traction.

“In the end, they manage to transfer power to the ground better than the others.”

Subscribe to our MotoGP Newsletter