MARC MARQUEZ’S 2025 SHOULDER INJURY MAY HURT HIS 2026 TITLE RUN AT KEY FACTORY DUCATI ROUNDS

Marc Marquez’s right-shoulder injury from the end of the 2025 MotoGP season is starting to show a potential long-term ripple effect as the 2026 title fight enters its later stages. The issue began at the Indonesian Grand Prix, when an incident with Marco Bezzecchi left Marquez with a fracture and ligament damage in his right shoulder. After a lengthy rehabilitation, Marquez returned for the 2026 campaign but, at the season opener, his comeback was still shaped by a lack of full fitness.

Since then, the Ducati rider has looked like he’s fully back in rhythm. He has won all four of the most recent MotoGP races across all formats, underlining that his performance level is no longer being held back in the way it was early in 2026. Yet one “hidden consequence” of what happened in 2025 may be about to become more visible: Marquez chose to sit out the remainder of that season after the Mandalika injury, meaning he did not race on factory Ducati machinery at Phillip Island, Sepang, Portimao, or Valencia.

That absence matters because Bezzecchi, who did race those rounds, took victories at both the Portuguese- and Spanish-based events that Marquez missed. With that history, Bezzecchi is expected to carry extra confidence into the races where he previously succeeded, and the article highlights Portimao as a particularly tough test for Marquez. It remains one of the very few circuits where the Spaniard has never won a Grand Prix.

This year’s calendar also adds another variable. The Qatar Grand Prix sits between those four late-season rounds, but its running is uncertain due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. If Qatar were cancelled, it could change the dynamics of the championship in two ways: fewer races would reduce the opportunities for rivals to close the gap, but the cancellation could also be a disadvantage for Marquez because he is the only rider on the 2026 grid to have multiple premier-class wins at Lusail.

Ducati leadership, however, is playing down the impact of Marquez’s missed final four rounds from 2025. Asked about how much his absence could affect his 2026 title hopes, Ducati chief Luigi Dall’Igna said Marquez’s experience makes the situation manageable. “Marc has so much experience that I honestly don’t think it’s a problem to have missed the remaining races between now and the end of the year,” Dall’Igna replied.

At the same time, Dall’Igna pointed to a different concern closer to the bike itself. While he remained positive about the overall situation, he acknowledged that the GP26 has a weakness that needs attention: “Regarding the chassis, that’s definitely a problem. Let’s just say we tend to struggle a bit more with rear grip than others, so that’s something we’ll have to work on.” He added that, despite everything still being “up for grabs,” he is “positive and confident.”

With Marquez now back to winning form, the championship question may shift from his physical recovery to how the missed 2025 races—and the specific circuits involved—could influence the final stretch of the 2026 title race.