Ducati MotoGP team principal Davide Tardozzi maintains that Marc Marquez’s three crashes during the Buriram test in Thailand will not diminish the rider’s effectiveness as the Thai Grand Prix approaches. Despite a challenging pre-season marked by recovery from injury and recent illness, Marquez remains a strong contender for the upcoming 2026 MotoGP season.
Marquez experienced several falls in the two-day test, which he attributed to reduced focus caused by his physical state. Although he did not complete a full race simulation, Tardozzi expressed confidence in Marquez’s competitive position as the season gets underway.
Marquez’s Crashes Not Seen as Performance Hindrance
Tardozzi emphasized that the crashes will have minimal impact on Marquez’s racing capability.
“I think that doesn’t affect Marc a lot if he crashes,”
he told MotoGP’s After the Flag.
“It doesn’t have an influence on his performance. We know that Marc will be one of the contenders for the championship from the first race.”
He also highlighted the long nature of the championship season, stressing the importance of consistent point accumulation rather than focusing solely on individual race wins.
“So, it’s a very long championship, we have to collect points first of all,”
Tardozzi stated.
Ducati’s Progress and Bike Development Confirmed
Despite Marquez’s difficulties, Tardozzi reported satisfaction with the GP26 bike’s development following the Buriram testing. This progress contrasts with the struggles Ducati faced during the previous winter testing period.
“We are pretty happy because we confirmed a lot of things, a lot of parts, that the riders chose in Sepang,”
he said, noting improvements focused on the bike’s aerodynamics and chassis.
“We are happy about that. Aero and some other stuff on the chassis [were the main points], and we have the rear device too. So, everything is confirmed, and we are happy about that.”
Testing Results and Team Challenges Ahead of Season Opener
Marc Marquez finished third overall during the Buriram test, with teammate Pecco Bagnaia placing fourth while showing increased confidence on the bike. However, none of the Marquez brothers, including Alex Marquez, completed a full race simulation on the last day due to incidents. Both Marc and Alex experienced falls, while Bagnaia’s session ended prematurely because of a technical failure.
These testing challenges underscore ongoing hurdles for the team but have not shaken Ducati’s hopeful outlook for the season starting in Thailand.
