After an early finish to his historic debut season with Ducati Lenovo, present MotoGP champion Marc Marquez begins his 2026 marketing campaign with as we speak’s workforce launch alongside Francesco Bagnaia at Madonna di Campiglio.
Watch stay beneath because the Ducati manufacturing unit duo unveils the brand new GP26 livery in a particular ceremony beginning at 11am CET (10am UK).
2026 additionally marks Ducati’s a centesimal anniversary, and a social media publish selling the announcement referred to it as “White Stripes for a century of ardour and pace.”
Six-time Honda MotoGP champion Marc Marquez ended the longest title drought of his profession with a dominant debut season with the Ducati manufacturing unit workforce.
Marquez’s superior tempo grew to become evident in the course of the race simulations after testing and led to relentless outcomes as soon as the season started. His rivals, led by his brother Alex and later joined by Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, might solely sometimes problem him.
In the course of the season, he gained 14 consecutive races in sprints and grand prix, successfully ending the championship race, and Bagnaia described the yr as “a championship with out a rival for Marc.”
Marquez surpassed Angel Nieto’s complete of 90 Grand Prix wins, reaching 99 at Ducati’s dwelling spherical of Misano, and clinched his ninth world title on the following spherical at Motegi.
Nonetheless, per week later, in a match towards Mandalica, he was knocked down by Bezzecchi and injured his proper shoulder, requiring surgical procedure, inflicting him to overlook the remaining 4 tournaments and the postseason take a look at in Valencia.
With a cautious restoration and classes discovered from a earlier proper arm criticism, Marquez’s coaching steadily transitioned from mountain bike to filth monitor, motocross and ultimately asphalt earlier this month.
Marquez’s first time driving the Desmosedici since Mandalica will happen in the course of the official Sepang take a look at from February third to fifth.
Marquez proved unstoppable till damage, whereas Francesco Bagnaia rapidly struggled with braking and front-end really feel in his newest GP25.
What initially gave the impression to be an engine-related situation throughout winter testing continued after Ducati reverted to what it referred to as its ‘GP24’ engine design for the brand new season, leaving the double MotoGP champion unable to show his trademark energy below braking.
Bagnaia’s issues worsened because the yr progressed, going from continuously preventing for podiums to typically struggling to attain factors.
Any glimmers of hope, corresponding to the boldness enhance from bigger brake discs at Aragon and a commanding double win at Motegi with a revised ‘GP24’ type bundle from the Misano take a look at, rapidly disappeared.
Bagnaia, who admitted he had “a nightmare” in 2025, ended up dropping to fifth within the championship, shedding out not solely to Alex Marquez but additionally to Aprilia’s Bezzecchi and KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
