Alex Marquez has already dismissed the possibility of repeating his Spanish MotoGP victory from 12 months ago this weekend.
Marquez’s Spanish Grand Prix victory last year at Jerez was his first in the MotoGP class, and this year’s event will mark his 250th grand prix across all classes. But the Spaniard, who celebrates his 30th birthday today (23 April) is sure that a repeat of his 2025 victory this weekend will not be possible after his podium-less start to 2026.
“Definitely not,” Alex Marquez said of his chances to win this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix during the pre-event press conference at Jerez.
“The first part of the season has been a little bit difficult for us, especially on Thailand. It’s true that on Brazil and on Austin we were a bit better, but still far away especially from Aprilia.
“But I think that we are working in a really good way, Ducati is working really hard.”
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The Gresini Racing rider added that he also has margin to improve himself and the way he is approaching riding the bike.
“Also I know that me as a rider I need to make a step in the riding style and thinking less about the problems and approach in a better way the things, and take more profit about the things that we have, that are many positive ones,” he said.
“From that moment, we will be back.
“[Jerez] is the best circuit or the best moment of the season to come back and to have again a good performance, so we will try again to give our best.
“To repeat the things like last year would be amazing, but it’s a little bit not realistic in this moment.”
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Marquez continued, explaining the specific area that he has struggled with so far with the 2026 Ducati Desmosedici GP.
“Especially I’m struggling a lot how to brake, how to stop the bike – it’s the thing that I’m missing more because I’m missing a lot in that part of the corner,” Marquez said.
“But we need to keep going. We can’t lose the patience that we are having, just three races [in], the season is so long.”
He added: “I think in the other places we are more or less in the same point as last year, even better in engine for example that we are faster and we have a little bit more power.
“So, just is the point of how to brake and how to go in [to the corner] that I’m feeling that I’m struggling to stop the bike. It’s just that point, the other points I feel really good, we saw it on the numbers.
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“But also it’s true that Aprilia did a step forward and they are [pushing] us more to the limit on the more difficult things.
“I’m feeling that with not many strange things or not changing a lot, just with small items, we can make a really nice, positive step forward.”
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