Marc Marquez has made a slow start to the 2026 season, and Ducati chief Claudio Domenicali believes his disrupted winter is partly to blame.
Coming off a serious shoulder injury from the previous year – sustained in a collision with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia – Marquez had minimal preparation ahead of the new campaign.
Early assessments downplayed the need for surgery, but the damage proved more extensive than first thought. The effects are still lingering, and he’s yet to reach the podium this year.
With injuries piling up over his career, Marquez admits he’s unsure what his true peak even looks like anymore. This title defence has been far tougher than expected, and many point to his interrupted build-up as a key reason for the early struggles.
Aprilia have made serious strides this year, with Bezzecchi winning every Grand Prix so far. But Massimo Rivola feels Aprilia haven’t faced the real Marquez yet, as the Ducati rider continues to deal with fitness issues.
Domenicali explained to Corriere Romagna: “But I think he’s got a lot to offer. Well, unfortunately he had a nasty crash at the end of last year, he was out of action for a long time, he missed the whole winter.
“And so that also limited the number of tests he was able to do, and so during winter testing, things didn’t go as they should have, so that also affected the start of the season a bit.
“Perhaps he isn’t even, I think, quite back to 100% yet, but he’s definitely a rider with extraordinary determination and incredible talent, so he can certainly still achieve a lot at Ducati.”
Dani Pedrosa has noted that Marquez is insisting “everything is fine” despite another setback. With his injury history growing, caution will be key, as one more serious incident could put an end to his career.
Some have suggested that Marquez’s struggles might also be down to Ducati no longer having the quickest bike on the grid. But with Aprilia making clear gains this year, Marquez has pushed back against that notion.
The Spaniard told his engineers after the race in Austin: “The problem is me, not the bike.”
With a break in April giving him some time off, the upcoming race at Jerez could prove pivotal for both Marquez and Ducati. If he hasn’t fully recovered by then or if Ducati can’t make up ground on Aprilia, it could signal the end of his championship hopes for 2026.
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