Marc Marquez crashed out of second place in the Jerez sprint, cut across the pit entry grass to switch to a wet bike, and rode through the pack to win — and the FIM stewards ruled it all completely legal.
After three rounds without a podium and a long lap penalty in Austin, Marc Marquez has dragged his Ducati to pole position at Jerez. The home Spanish GP marks the first weekend the eight-time world champion has fronted the timing screens since the season opener.
VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio has given the cleanest public diagnosis yet of Ducati's MotoGP 2026 weakness, explaining how the GP26 cannot generate the same front-end load under braking as Aprilia's RS-GP26 — and why that has cost Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia early-season ground.
Casey Stoner has accused MotoGP of pushing aside one of the world's great motorcycle circuits in favour of an Adelaide street race, with Wayne Gardner and Jack Miller adding their own colourful reactions to the move from 2027.
Pedro Acosta is a podium away from extending an unwanted run of 13 MotoGP podiums without a grand prix win — a modern-era record he will set this Sunday at Jerez unless he finally breaks through for KTM.
Toprak Razgatlioglu rides onto the only MotoGP circuit he already knows as a two-time WorldSBK champion on Yamaha's struggling new V4, warning that the style he mastered in Superbike will not translate directly.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was the only rider in the 1'36s as he led a VR46 one-two in opening practice at Jerez, while reigning champion Jorge Martin crashed out at Turn 3 on the practice-start out-lap.
Marco Bezzecchi has led 121 consecutive MotoGP laps on Sundays, but a glaring gap in his 2026 dominance is staring back from the form guide — he is still without a sprint podium.
After a disastrous opening three rounds, the reigning MotoGP champion used three weeks at home to rebuild his body — not just Ducati's bike — and arrives at Jerez declaring himself finally ready to fight.
Jorge Martin arrives at Jerez as the reigning MotoGP world champion but just four points adrift of his Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi, who has reeled off five straight Sunday wins to start 2026.
Maverick Vinales will miss this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez after shoulder surgery, and with reserve rider Pol Espargaro also sidelined by a hand injury, Tech3 KTM is left running a single bike in Spain.
Ducati arrives at Jerez with an evolution of the Austin aerodynamic package and a broader strategic reset that Marc Marquez admits has surprised even him, as the factory team tries to end an eight-race podium drought.
