Marc Marquez has found himself battling amongst his rivals a lot more this year compared to his title-winning 2025 campaign, and Pol Espargaro is under the impression that it is because his rivals now know how to attack the vulnerable Spaniard.
After joining Ducati and dominating the opening rounds of last season, Marc Marquez’s second year with the team has started very differently.
Three rounds into 2026, he has managed just one Sprint win from six races across both formats.
Aprilia appear to have taken over as the team to beat this season, highlighted by Marco Bezzecchi’s strong performances in full-length Grands Prix.
But it isn’t just about who has built the best bike.
The defending world champion hasn’t seemed fully fit since picking up an injury late last year. It’s an issue that appears to be lingering into this season, giving others a chance to take advantage of weaknesses he hadn’t shown before.
Pol Espargaro says Marc Marquez’s MotoGP rivals are now benefiting from his new ‘weaknesses’
Speaking to Diario AS, former MotoGP rider Pol Espargaro shared his perspective on how the level of competition in the premier class has changed, and why Marquez’s sluggish start to the season is playing a role.
Drawing a comparison to football, he said: “This is a reflection I’ve been having for a few days now, during the first few races. Let me give you an analogy.
“Barca went from winning, from leading the pack, to going through this existential crisis where, instead of sitting back and defending and waiting for the outcome, the teams were going out on the attack, which only hurt them more.
“Barca’s problem was that they weren’t competitive, and on top of that, seeing that the other teams were reacting in a completely different way, it overwhelmed them even more. I think something similar is happening now.”
“Between Marc not being at his best and the other riders seeing that Marc is weak or has certain weaknesses he didn’t have before – they feel more capable of attacking. For example what we saw with Di Giannantonio in Brazil.”
“That also catches Marc a bit off guard because he doesn’t expect it; he’s not used to it. So it’s a somewhat uncertain situation for Ducati and their rivals – also for him. But we’ll see if things fall into place after Jerez.”
Four-week layoff gives Marquez a chance to refocus
The rescheduling of the Qatar Grand Prix may have come at the perfect time for Marquez, giving him a valuable break to focus on his recovery.
Now slated for November, the gap between Austin and Jerez allowed Marquez extra time away from racing — something he needed badly. The extended pause gave him a chance to work towards getting back to full strength.
However, there are still questions about how he’ll handle the return. Marquez’s aggressive riding style has always been a double-edged sword, and some worry that feeling too comfortable on the bike too soon could lead him right back into trouble.
Neil Hodgson has cautioned that one wrong move in Jerez could have serious consequences. Another injury might not just slow him down — it could end his title defence before it even gets going.
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