MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez expects Ducati struggles at Grand Prix Great Britain - 'Far from the podium'
Published 08/08/2026 at 11:25 GMT+1
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Marc Marquez remains hopeful that he can perform better than he did at Grand Prix Netherlands, but he does not expect to match his victory from the previous round, at Grand Prix Germany, given his Ducati bike's apparent struggles at Grand Prix Great Britain.
'Marco Bezzecchi! What?! - Aprilia rider back to his best at Grand Prix Britain qualfiying
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The world champion was sixth-quickest on Friday in the afternoon’s Practice session, with Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia the fastest rider on the day as he set a new track record.
Marquez was once 102 points off the pace at the top of the world championship standings but has since whittled that down to 18 behind the other Aprilia factory rider and former world champion, Jorge Martin.
With 11 race weekends to go - assuming Qatar goes ahead despite geopolitical concerns - the 33-year-old Spaniard is one of perhaps five riders who can feel they are in with a shot at the title.
The last round at Sachsenring for Grand Prix Germany brought Marquez his 10th victory at the circuit.
However, the Aprilia bikes are favoured on the kind of track at Silverstone, so while Neil Hodgson predicted in his TNT Sports column that Marquez would win, the rider himself and Ducati chief Davide Tardozzi were less optimistic.
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'Fighting for the podium' - Tardozzi wants Grand Prix Great Britain points for Marquez and Bagnaia
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”It was a day that we already expected,” the Ducati rider said to press on Friday evening, as reported by Crash.net.
”It looks like here normally Aprilia, for the flowing corners, it’s normally the strongest point of that bike, especially like Assen or here.
”We are working well, trying to find the best, and at the moment we are far from the podium, closer to the top five, but even I’m not in the top five.
”So, we need to work to try to be in that top five.”
However, he felt like he would still perform better than he did at Grand Prix Netherlands, where he finished seventh, explaining: "A little bit more potential than Assen, I believe, but similar position.
”But I feel I’m a bit more optimistic than Assen.”
He continued, saying that it was not just his bike, but also his riding style that is hard to adapt after more than a decade as a professional.
”I mean, of course, the bikes have strong points and weak points,” he said.
”And we already understood this season that Aprilia, where [there are] flowing corners, is faster than us, and where there are stop-and-go corners, we are faster than them.
”So, saying that, my riding style, since 2013, I’m struggling on the same circuits and I’m strong in the same ones. So, in those flowing corners is where I struggle.
”I learned that at some points he’s [Alex Marquez] super fast, and when I try to copy and try to follow him, it was even worse because I was overriding and I was losing even more.
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”It’s the character of the rider. At 33 years old, I can adapt a bit, but my riding style is my riding style.
”It’s true that last year I was struggling at the same points as this year, but I was able to recover in those changes of direction or something.
”But this year, no. But in the points I was strong last year, I’m a bit slower, because we know the reason. Let’s see if we can try to manage and enjoy the weekend; it doesn’t matter the position.”
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