Marc Marquez has admitted he’s not able to recover the time he loses over one lap on new Michelin tyres after a challenging start to his Spanish Grand Prix weekend.

The Ducati rider was fourth-fastest around Jerez by the end of Friday, but his best time during practice – 1:36.227 – was still 0.523 seconds off his brother Alex’s session-topping 1:35.704 for Gresini.

Alex Marquez appears to have more reason for optimism at this stage, having recorded a second podium of the season and showing strong speed through Friday in Spain.

Marquez on early-season pace deficit: “I can’t make up that time”

VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio also went quicker than Marc in practice, setting a 1:36.037 to finish second on the timesheets, while only fellow GP26 rider Francesco Bagnaia was slower among those using that bike specification.

When asked if there is any clear area where he feels behind compared to last season, Marquez said:

Ducati currently finds itself without a race win in the opening three Grands Prix of 2026 with KTM and Honda sharing one apiece.

Marc Marquez struggling to find pace on new tyres at Spanish GP

Marquez acknowledged that Alex and Di Giannantonio were simply quicker than him in the timed session, pointing out his main issue was not being able to recover the time lost when running on fresh Michelins.

One-lap pace is where Marquez feels he’s “struggling the most” so far, despite coming into Jerez feeling fully fit for the first time this year. It’s also giving everyone a clearer look at where he really stacks up in the field.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Marquez said: “They’re faster. I’m working in my garage, trying to focus and make the most of what I feel at any given moment.

“We’re gradually getting closer, but it’s true that it’s on the single lap that I’m struggling the most. With used tyres, things level out a bit. But what you lose with new tyres you can’t make up for.”

The early part of Marquez’s season has been disrupted by his recovery from shoulder surgery following an injury sustained last October in Indonesia. He also picked up a nasty cut on his right forearm after crashing during practice in America.

The four-week break since Austin allowed him to arrive at Jerez feeling as good as he has all year. Even so, being back to full health hasn’t translated into improved performance just yet.

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