Alex Marquez Struggles to Adapt to New Ducati MotoGP Bike

The Gresini rider has failed to match the pace of his Ducati teammates in the opening races of the 2026 season.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:04am

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Three races into the 2026 MotoGP season, Alex Marquez has endured a subdued start on the Gresini Ducati, scoring just 28 points and sitting eighth in the standings. Marquez believes he is still missing the final 20% of performance from the new GP26 bike, which does not suit his riding style as well as the previous year's machine. Despite Ducati equipping him with the same factory-spec machinery as his teammates, Marquez has struggled to be competitive, with his best result so far being a fourth-place finish in the US GP sprint race.

Why it matters

Marquez's struggles are a concern for Ducati, as the younger Marquez brother was a title contender in 2025 and a key part of the manufacturer's success. The team will need to work closely with Marquez to help him adapt to the new bike and unlock its full potential if they want to maintain their competitiveness in the championship.

The details

Marquez has admitted that he is 'still missing maybe 20%' of the performance from the new Ducati GP26 bike, and that the characteristics of the machine 'affect my natural riding style quite a lot'. This has left him feeling like he is 'just trying to survive' in races, rather than being able to challenge at the front. Meanwhile, his Ducati teammate Fabio di Giannantonio has emerged as the manufacturer's strongest points scorer so far this season.

  • The 2026 MotoGP season began in March.
  • The opening three rounds of the season have taken place so far.

The players

Alex Marquez

A 29-year-old Spanish rider competing for the Gresini Ducati team in the 2026 MotoGP season.

Fabio di Giannantonio

Marquez's Ducati teammate, who has scored more points than him in the opening races of the 2026 season.

Ducati

The Italian motorcycle manufacturer that supplies the factory-spec bikes to the Gresini and VR46 teams in MotoGP.

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What they’re saying

“I'm still missing maybe 20%, I am still quite far. Still, I'm not feeling really, really good with the bike. It's true that the characteristics of this bike affect my natural riding style quite a lot.”

— Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati Rider

“I'm just trying to survive because the feeling is still not really, really great. So, just trying to achieve some points and not lose your head or do something strange.”

— Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati Rider

What’s next

Marquez and the Gresini team will have an unexpected break in the schedule after the cancellation of the Qatar Grand Prix, which they hope will give them more time to analyze the bike's performance and make improvements ahead of the next race in Jerez.

The takeaway

Alex Marquez's struggles to adapt to Ducati's new 2026 MotoGP bike have been a major setback for the team, as the younger Marquez brother was a title contender last season. The team will need to work closely with Marquez to help him unlock the full potential of the machine if they want to remain competitive in the championship.