Ducati under pressure: the Marquez brothers are struggling

In 2025 Alex Marquez established himself as MotoGP world vice-champion with Gresini’s Ducati GP24. The younger of the Cervera brothers earned a factory Desmosedici for 2026, but after three Grands Prix the results are rather disappointing. The feeling with the bike has yet to take off and from the next World Championship Alex will switch to the factory team’s KTM RC16.

Alex Marquez has not started the season as he had hoped. Many speculate that number 73 is encountering the same issues as Francesco Bagnaia with the Ducati GP25. In just a few months, the sensations on the Red have seemingly changed dramatically, as we wait to understand how this MotoGP season will unfold. But after three race weekends, the MotoGP vice-champion is only eighth in the overall standings and awaits the Jerez Grand Prix to try to turn this 2026 around.

At the moment, the rider who seems to have adapted best to the GP26 is Fabio Di Giannantonio, fourth in the standings, five points ahead of Marc Marquez. For Alex, it’s still choppy waters after the latest evolution of the Desmosedici. "Maybe I’m still at 20%. Because I’m still pretty far off. I don’t feel very comfortable with the bike. It’s true that this bike’s characteristics affect my natural riding style quite a lot."

Ducati’s new MotoGP prototype reportedly has some issues with tire management and braking, according to brand colleagues. Even nine-time world champion Marc Marquez is struggling to achieve high performance with this bike, also due to a physical condition that is not yet optimal. It’s a situation reminiscent of the problems Bagnaia encountered throughout the 2025 season, with Marc Marquez the only rider able to adapt perfectly to the GP25. The current situation suggests that the GP26 will be difficult for everyone to manage...

Aprilia’s technical leap further highlights Ducati’s delays. "The problems are caused by another brand," Marc Marquez admitted after the round in the United States. "Obviously, we’ve taken a step forward compared to last year. We’re faster at almost every track we’ve visited, both in terms of fastest lap and race pace, but Aprilia has taken a step and a half. And that’s where we have to keep working, more united than ever, one step at a time, because there’s not much more to do."

Bad luck has certainly played a central role in this MotoGP season start for Marc Marquez. First the puncture in Thailand, then the contact with Di Giannantonio complicated matters. The weak point is another: "What we lack most is consistency." And although they don’t want excuses, the reality is that this lack of consistency essentially stems from two factors: tire degradation and his physical condition. Even more so after Austin, due to the crash on Friday’s free practice.