Peter Bom questions Marc Marquez after test crashes
· Yahoo Sports
Marc Marquez’s lead-up to the 2026 season opener in Thailand was anything but ideal, raising early questions about how ready he might be.
He spent the off-season focusing on recovery after breaking his shoulder in a crash in Indonesia. Rather than rushing back, the Ducati rider took a careful approach, slowly building up strength ahead of pre-season testing.
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The 32-year-old showed promising signs during testing at Sepang, but both Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia clocked faster race simulations. He said at the time that he was still working his way back to full fitness, and things didn’t get any easier for him when he got to Buriram.
He crashed twice on the first day of testing and then went down again on Sunday. A virus added another layer of difficulty, and Marquez opted not to run a full race simulation as a result.
Peter Bom later pointed out that it was Marquez’s natural urge to push hard that led to those crashes in Thailand – something that could become an issue as he tries to defend his title next season.
Peter Bom: Marquez more ‘vulnerable’ in 2026 after ‘very silly’ test crashes
Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty ImagesMarquez has acknowledged that his body still hasn’t fully recovered, and he’s not at peak fitness ahead of the Thailand Grand Prix. While he’ll remain among the favourites, Bom believes the multiple crashes during testing have made Marquez look more ‘vulnerable’. He said:
“There is a serious chance that Marc’s not going to run away with the championship, probably not even win it, because Marc seems to become quicker, a lot more vulnerable than he was earlier, when he was younger,” he said on the Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast.
“He doesn’t bounce so well anymore. And he still keeps crashing. He went down three times, and the first one was really stupid. The first one was really, really silly and could have hurt him already a lot.
“So the nature of the beast doesn’t change. He needs to take risks to feel the bike, to feel himself alive and to say something. And he bounced so well that he got away with that for years. He doesn’t do that anymore.
“He’s bruised and battered, he still doesn’t say his shoulder is 100% after last year. So he is very vulnerable, but he doesn’t stop crashing.
“He’s in the end his own biggest enemy and his own biggest problem probably for this championship. And all the other Ducatis are closer to him now because he can make a difference anymore into them.”
What does Marc Marquez’s 2026 competition look like?
Even after dominating the 2025 season, Marc Marquez is widely seen as the favourite heading into 2026. But with questions still lingering about his fitness, holding onto the title might not be as straightforward as some expect.
The GP26 has shown improvements in comfort and consistency compared to last year’s model, which should bring Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia firmly into contention. Over at Aprilia, Marco Bezzecchi has been making steady progress since late last season and could also be a factor.
Loris Capirossi expects both Bezzecchi and Bagnaia to push Marquez for the championship. Both riders have looked sharp in pre-season testing and seem ready to challenge from the start.
Pedro Acosta also pointed to Alex Marquez when discussing potential title threats for 2026. It’s clear that this season won’t just be a repeat of last year’s dominance—Marquez faces real challenges within Ducati alone.
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