Marc Marquez moved away from the strategy that had brought him the 2025 title to focus on helping Ducati address rear stability issues with the GP26 during the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix.
It was another difficult start to the season for Ducati, as Aprilia continued their strong form. Marco Bezzecchi took victory in Brazil, leading home a factory Aprilia one-two ahead of Jorge Martin, with three RS-GPs finishing inside the top five.
VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and factory rider Marquez were Ducati’s best performers, finishing third and fourth. Di Giannantonio took advantage of a rare mistake from Marquez to claim the final podium spot by 0.309 seconds, finishing just 0.549 seconds behind Martin.
The track surface at Goiania began to break apart during the race, causing problems for several riders. Marquez was caught out at Turn 12 when loose marbles from the tarmac forced him wide, which allowed Di Giannantonio through. The issue also led MotoGP organisers to shorten the race from 31 laps to 23 for safety reasons.
Marquez making more changes to 2026 Ducati compared to previous year
The Spaniard was not satisfied with his bike, and Ducati also recognized that their struggles in Thailand were not a one-off. According to MARCA, the team now openly acknowledges that the GP26 is behind Aprilia’s RS-GP in several areas.
Of particular concern was the rear end of the GP26. Throughout the weekend, Ducati focused heavily on improving stability at the back, hoping to address issues that had been holding them back since the start of the season. Marquez even shifted away from his title-winning approach from 2025, looking for solutions.
“It’s true that I’m not riding the bike as I’d like,” he said after qualifying third for the Brazilian GP, just 0.081 seconds off pole-sitter Di Giannantonio. He then edged out Di Giannantonio by just 0.213s in the Sprint Race.
Ducati are planning updates for later in April at Jerez and expect further changes will be made during testing after Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Neil Hodgson felt Marquez looked more natural on his Ducati in Brazil, noticing adjustments to his body position that better suited the GP26 compared to what he showed in Thailand – which could be explained by him still working through shoulder surgery recovery at that time.
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