Tension in the Ducati garage: what happened after Marquez's penalty

The opening round of the MotoGP championship took place in Buriram, Thailand. Ducati missed out on victory in both the Sprint and the Sunday race, securing only a second place on Saturday thanks to Marc Marquez. The nine-time world champion was at the center of an unusual incident during the Grand Prix, causing considerable bewilderment inside the garage.

Ducati has decided that in 2026 as well, fans will be able to get a close look at what happens during MotoGP weekends inside the Red’s garage. The Emilia-based brand has confirmed the broadcast of "INSIDE" for the second consecutive year. In the new episodes, the cameras mainly follow the work of mechanics, engineers, and all the staff who revolve around the two riders Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia. The 22 episodes will be uploaded every post-race Wednesday on the official YouTube channel, featuring exclusive scenes that TV cameras can’t capture.

The first episode of "INSIDE" is a behind-the-scenes look at the Thailand GP, from the arrival at the track to lights out. One of the key moments was the battle between Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta in the Sprint, with the reigning MotoGP champion penalized for a controversial overtake. Ducati’s “hidden” cameras captured the moment when the team was analyzing the nine-time champion’s maneuver. Davide Tardozzi had no doubts after watching the replays: "He stayed on track. He stayed on track and he didn’t touch him." The atmosphere was tense, because any mistake could have led to a penalty that would have ruined the weekend.

After the race, Marquez was convinced his position was legitimate and made that clear to his superiors. "I was ahead! I was ahead!" he repeated as he took off his helmet, seeking the technicians’ approval. Gigi Dall'Igna, usually the calmest in such situations, replied: "You didn’t touch him and you stayed on track. If you had run wide, Marc... they would have been right. But you stayed on the inside. You held your line and closed the corner."

The rider from Cervera explained why, in the final moments of the Sprint, he chose to yield the position to his KTM rival. Even though he felt he could keep the pace, he preferred to secure championship points rather than face an unfavorable decision from the FIM stewards. "My bike was already ahead. I preferred to give up the position because otherwise I would have received a three-second penalty," confessed the Spanish rider. Faced with this logic, Dall'Igna could only agree: "You did everything right. It was all perfect."

The docuseries also shows light-hearted moments between Marc and Pecco, with pizza taking center stage, laughter and jokes before hitting the track. It’s interesting to hear Marquez talk about the feeling with the new Desmosedici GP26. He doesn’t hide that he’s struggling to understand the changing conditions of the new tire, which forces him to work more than last year. But he is clear about his approach to this MotoGP season: "I never complain and I never will. I’ll simply adapt my riding style to what the bike and the championship require."

In any case, the podium and victory were within Marc Marquez’s reach, even on a difficult weekend like the one in Buriram. Unlike the other Ducati riders, who encountered greater difficulties on the Desmosedici. A rough start for Pecco Bagnaia, who went no further than ninth place on both Saturday and Sunday. For him, it could be another uphill season before his farewell to the Red.

An unlucky Sunday marked the start of this MotoGP World Championship for Ducati. A puncture a few laps from the finish forced #93 to retire while he was battling at the front. "Physically I wasn’t in bad shape, but I struggled a bit with the front," commented the Spanish superstar. Meanwhile, in the Ducati garage, Bagnaia was asking his team in surprise what had happened to his teammate. "What happened to Marc?"