Marc Marquez: “My arm isn’t working as well as it did last year!”

With his one-two finish in Hungary, champion Marc Marquez has put himself back in contention in the title race. The Ducati factory rider put in an impressive performance at the Balaton Park Circuit. Following yet another spell of injuries and just one race weekend after his comeback at Mugello, MM93 left everyone in awe. He also celebrated his 100th GP victory in the MotoGP World Championship in Hungary; at the same time, it marked Ducati’s 100th Grand Prix win in the premier class. In the championship standings, Marc Marquez has closed the gap to championship leader Marco Bezzecchi to just 72 points.

Marquez said in Hungary that the narrow track with its many left-hand bends had helped him to manage his energy well and perform strongly. The action continues this weekend in Brno – the fast and flowing circuit is more similar to the Mugello Circuit, where Marquez struggled even more. Does he expect to be stronger this weekend than he was at Mugello?

“Of course, I want to do better than I did at Mugello. Our aim is to gain a better understanding of where we stand every day.” The 33-year-old has had time over the last two weeks to continue his recovery. Has he been able to take another step forward physically? “I’ve continued with the process. I’ve been able to make some progress in training. I hope it feels the same on the bike too. What I’ve already noticed at Mugello, but especially at Balaton, is that my arm isn’t working quite as well as it did last year. I now have to adapt to this situation – it’s a joint process with the physiotherapists and doctors. From this point on, we need to continue making progress.”

When MotoGP returned to the Automotodrom Brno last year, Márquez won both races. In total, the nine-time champion has secured four MotoGP Grand Prix victories in Brno. Why does the circuit suit him so well? “I don’t know,” smiled Márquez. “On paper, it’s not one of my strongest circuits, but I still feel okay here. Maybe this isn’t my year, though. I need to get my physical condition sorted first – and when I feel good, the speed is always there.”

In the first races of the season, Marc Marquez struggled, particularly at the start. He often lost positions because his body wasn’t quite up to speed yet. Does he feel, following his shoulder operation, that he’s taken a step forward in this regard? In Hungary, the Ducati factory rider was strong right from the start. “I feel better now. The problem at the start of the first races of the season was that I never knew when my arm would get out of control,” he explained. “It was difficult for me to gauge how I needed to ride. The positive thing in Hungary was that I was able to ride at my own pace in the sprint race. In the main race, I was riding more calmly on the medium tyres and I was able to warm up well. I can now be fast right from the start, but I need to improve my stamina.”

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07.08.2026 - 10:55