Marc Marquez kicked off his 2026 MotoGP campaign with a win in the Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint, though the day was overshadowed by his anger over a start delay caused by a sinkhole on the main straight.
After Ducati’s early-season dominance took a hit from Aprilia in Thailand, Marquez showed he can still make a difference by taking his first win of the year in Brazil.
The Spaniard missed out on pole to Fabio Di Giannantonio by just under a tenth, but came out on top in a close fight during the Sprint race.
The race itself was delayed by 75 minutes after a sinkhole opened up at the Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna. The issue affected multiple sessions and threw off preparations for many riders.
Marc Marquez left fuming over the MotoGP Sprint delay in Brazil
After his win, Marquez spoke about how pleased he was to get the result, but also expressed his annoyance over the lengthy delay caused by a sinkhole that had appeared on the pit straight.
Speaking to reporters via Moto.it, when asked whether he had managed the disruption well, the defending world champion said:
“Yes, there was even a moment when I got angry, because it’s super difficult for a driver to connect, disconnect, connect, disconnect.
“We have our rituals before… at least I’m speaking personally, I don’t know about the others, but before the race you have your exercises, your warm-up, so everyone understands, and I think they did, but just in case I’ll explain.
“It’s hard when you’re already in the race to stop and then come back in again, but it was the same for everyone. The important thing is that tomorrow we hope it doesn’t happen again.
“Today they solved it in the best way possible, and we hope that the hole stays in that area and doesn’t affect the track.”
Marc Marquez: “I woke up feeling fresh as a daisy – that’s the number one point”
Following a lengthy recovery from a collarbone injury sustained late last season, Marquez was asked about how he’s currently feeling. Neil Hodgson had noticed changes in Marquez’s riding during qualifying, and the Spaniard acknowledged that adjustments had indeed been made.
“Today I woke up feeling fresh as a daisy: that’s the number one point. No pain, no discomfort, and I was able to ride quite well. But it’s true that these two weeks at home have helped us make a small step forward”.
He also noted ongoing areas for improvement, particularly with his form in left-hand turns.
“Even now, my body position on the bike feels a bit stiff, a bit strange in those left-hand turns that I usually do well and can take quickly, without loosening up. That’s where we need to continue improving.
“It’s clear that there are two completely different riding styles: Fabio rides the Ducati one way, and I ride another, but in the end, he was effective in his sectors, one and four, and I was effective in two and three.”
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