Alex Marquez warns Ducati: "It won't be easy

Alex Marquez finished the MotoGP test in Thailand in fifth place, just under three tenths of a second off the best lap. The World Championship starts again on Friday and it will be time to get serious, after the excellent second place in the final standings in 2025.

The Gresini rider wants to keep expectations high in this championship as well, buoyed by a Ducati GP26 that could deliver a spectacular season. Before moving to the KTM factory team in 2027.

The Gresini rider wants to keep expectations high in this championship as well, buoyed by a Ducati GP26 that could deliver a spectacular season. Before moving to the KTM factory team in 2027.

First round in Thailand, the venue of the most recent MotoGP test. Alex Marquez believes it won’t be easy on a circuit where overtaking will be complicated. The Desmosedici once again proved to have higher top speed than some of its rivals. On the first day of testing at Buriram, Pecco Bagnaia recorded a speed of 342 km/h, with a new ride-height device that apparently helped the Ducati increase its straight-line speed. On the last day of testing, Aprilia brushed 340 km/h through the speed traps, while the fastest Honda hit 338 km/h.

Preseason was more demanding than usual for Alex Marquez, working with a factory-spec bike. He had to test various components and gather feedback for the engineers in Borgo Panigale. But he didn’t see this “extra” work as added pressure—rather as an “opportunity” that could make the difference over the course of this World Championship. “Last year there were no opportunities. This year you have many opportunities to keep improving your package,” explained the rider from Cervera. “It’s not like in the past, when there was nothing to try and we got pretty bored in the garage.”

Aerodynamics remains a central topic at Ducati. While other riders experimented with different configurations, Alex Marquez had already made his decision in Malaysia, keeping last year’s spec. It’s better to ride with an aero setup whose limits you know exactly than to have to thoroughly study a new variant. “I don’t think anyone is 100% satisfied. You always want something more,” continued Marc’s brother. Even so, you can be “quite satisfied.”

Aerodynamics remains a central topic at Ducati. While other riders experimented with different configurations, Alex Marquez had already made his decision in Malaysia, keeping last year’s spec. It’s better to ride with an aero setup whose limits you know exactly than to have to thoroughly study a new variant. “I don’t think anyone is 100% satisfied. You always want something more,” continued Marc’s brother. Even so, you can be “quite satisfied.”