Claudio Domenicali has now admitted that surgery on Marc Marquez’s shoulder injury at the end of 2025 has contributed to Ducati’s difficult start to the 2026 MotoGP season.
The factory Ducati Since 2013, the crew have had their worst start to a campaign, missing out on a Grand Prix podium after the opening four rounds. Ducati is fifth in the team standings, 100 points behind Aprilia and five behind satellite team VR46.
Marquez The riders are only fifth in the standings, with a deficit of 44 points to Marco Bezecchi, who has scored only 57 points so far and failed to score twice in the Grand Prix. The seven-time champion retired after a puncture in Thailand and crashed at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Ducati can at least partially celebrate in Jerez like Gresini. Alex Marquez won the Spanish GP He won the pilot aboard Desmosedici for the first feature race last Sunday. VR46 ace Fabio Di Giannantonio, the top Ducati in the standings, even took the second podium.
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Claudio Domenicali says Marc Marquez’s shoulder injury has affected Ducati’s form.
Sprint Races were Ducati’s only consolation before the Spanish GP this year. Marquez won the Sprint in Brazil And also in Jerez (though controversial). Marquez won the Sprint in Jerez by avoiding a penalty To cut across the road to swap bikes after they happen in the rain.
Read more: The result of the Spanish Grand Prix when Alex Marquez won after the accident of Marc Marquez
Ducati CEO Sunday Not surprisingly, the Borgo Pangale team has plenty of competition in this season’s final season of the 1,000cc era. But he admits that Marquez’s shoulder injury has had its share as it is “much harder” than he expected.
“I think we saw how many manufacturers grew significantly in the second half of last year,” Domenicali said Engine footprint. “We have won six Constructors’ and four Riders’ titles during our 88 consecutive races on the podium.
“These are things that have never happened in MotoGP – there is always a time when you stop. Of course, we wish it would never end, but that is part of the nature of racing.
“I think it’s a combination of factors, including that. Mark’s injury is more severe than we’ve seen. It’s led to a long recovery period.
We have work to do, but that’s the beautiful part of sport – the best always win, and we want to compete and be among the best. We have to work with our heads down.
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Marquez underwent surgery on his right shoulder last October after suffering a coracoid fracture and ligament damage in the gravel exit from the Indonesian GP in Bezechi. The injury ruled Marquez out for the final four rounds of 2025.
However, while Marquez has indicated that he is finally in a good place with his fitness once he arrives in Jerez, concerns over his recovery from injury remain. Jorge doesn’t think Lorenzo Marquez is riding “comfortably”. After watching him last week.
KTM rival Pedro Acosta thinks it’s “clear” that Marquez is struggling In the right shoulder, also following the time he joined Jerez. And that is thought to be the case after the 33-year-old stumbled out of Sunday’s race. Marquez cannot handle the high cornering speeds seen in the 2026..
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