Marc Marquez rules himself out of the fight for victory: another bluff from the champion?

After dominating in Hungary, the Ducati rider feels less competitive in the Czech Republic: reality or strategy?

First in FP1, fifth in Practice: Marc Marquez’s MotoGP Friday at Brno didn’t go badly. True, there were two crashes (one per session) that slowed his work, but fortunately there were no physical consequences. Compared to the weekend he dominated at Balaton Park, it seems there are more riders to reckon with for the final win at Brno.

Saturday morning it will be crucial to have an effective FP2 and then secure a spot in the first two rows in Qualifying. Last year the nine-time world champion did the double, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in 2026.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE MOTOGP PRE-QUALIFYING RESULTS AT BRNO

Even though his day wasn’t negative, the Spanish rider made it clear he’s not yet at 100% physically and needs to manage his energy: “We need to work more on our pace,” reports Motosan, “that’s what we’re still missing. The two crashes I had were situations I probably would have avoided at another time. Compared to Mugello, it’s harder to control the urge to push. There it was easier to slow down, because I knew exactly where I stood. Now I feel better, I see myself closer to the front of the group and it’s more complicated to hold back. That’s what I need to work on the most.”

The Ducati Lenovo MotoGP team is trying to help him manage his strength, a crucial aspect right now: “They worry about me,” Marquez explains, “because they know how I am physically. They’re the first to want to take care of me and see me improve little by little. Tardozzi knows me perfectly. I repeat what I said at Mugello: I have to be patient, but when you lower the visor things change. I feel good; the important thing is to keep improving. Every weekend I understand a bit better what my limits are and how I can ride as efficiently as possible.”

Compared to his comeback at Mugello, the former Honda rider feels better physically, even if not at 100%. Thinking about the goals for the Czech Republic Grand Prix, he doesn’t seem to consider victory likely: “It’s not yet time to go all out, but we’re close. Right now the goal is to be in the top five or six; that would be a good result this weekend. We need to be realistic about our current situation. The important thing is to keep improving and gradually get closer to the level we want to reach. Is Aprilia superior? I don’t think so; it’s the riders who are superior. We need to keep working, because we have a bike to win races.”

It’s not the first time Marquez has ruled himself out of the fight for the very top positions, only to end up ahead of everyone. He also arrived at Balaton Park convinced that the Aprilia riders were the favorites, and we know how that ended. He told Sky Sport MotoGP that the goal is to “finish less than 10 seconds from the winner, like at Mugello. The fastest are Bezzecchi, Acosta, Ogura, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio. I think Bezzecchi is the favorite.”

The Ducati rider prefers to keep a low profile in his statements: another bluff? We’ll find out soon. Certainly, everyone knows you can never underestimate someone like him.

The article with the full interview in Spanish on Motosan.es