MARC MARQUEZ REVISES WARM-UP APPROACH AS HE CLOSES ON MOTOGP TITLE LEAD

Marc Marquez’s surge back into the MotoGP title fight in 2026 has been driven by a single, practical shift in how he prepares for races. The Ducati rider, who was 102 points behind at the Italian Grand Prix, has since turned his season around after returning to action at Mugello following surgery on his right arm and foot. The arm operation had been planned earlier, after nerve damage emerged from his crash at Mandalika in 2025.

Since getting back on the bike, Marquez has won five of his last eight races and is now level on points at the top of the standings with Jorge Martin, with eight rounds remaining. Ducati engineers attribute much of the improvement to Marquez finally relaxing his approach during practice and warm-ups—an adjustment that Claudio Domenicali also wants him to stick to, with the team leadership urging him to push less in sessions in order to preserve his fitness.

The change has also been framed as a way of managing the reality of his arm injury. Marquez has shared details of the damage on social media, and the reaction was mixed. Dani Pedrosa publicly warned that Marquez could “suffer” because rivals now know where his weakness lies. Even so, the new preparation mindset appears to be paying off.

Commentator Gavin Emmett, speaking on the Gas It Out podcast, highlighted how Marquez’s progress is not only about his own work but also about the competitive context. “He’s been helped by the inconsistency of the other riders,” Emmett said, while adding: “but he’s also been helped by the fact that the Ducati is not as bad as perhaps we were suggesting.” He also referenced the balance of other manufacturers, noting that Aprilia’s situation has been inconsistent, and that Marquez has identified “which areas of the Ducati to exploit.”

Emmett further explained the energy and control element behind the scenes, describing the challenge of riding with an arm that is “at 3/4 strength,” and stressing that the key is not the exact measurement but the management. “It has taken since the start of the year, and another operation,” he said, “but it’s taken him time to realise, ‘OK, maybe only do one on a Friday, one fast lap. Maybe in the warm-up I do five minutes. That’s what I need to get it to the line. I have one goal.’”

That “one goal” approach—focused, time-limited, and designed to get him to race day in the best condition—has become central to Marquez’s resurgence. While questions about his arm will continue to hang over both him and Ducati, the team’s belief is that this new mentality is steering him toward what could be his most significant title run yet.