MotoGP, Jorge Lorenzo: “Marc Marquez has lost something,” the warning before the restart

Jorge Lorenzo never minces words when it comes to Marc Marquez. And this time, the message is clear: by staying away from modern MotoGP, you end up "losing something." The five-time world champion believes that #93 won't be at 100% of his capacity at the start of the 2026 season.

After his broken clavicle and ligament injury to his shoulder following the collision with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia, Marc Marquez It was decided that he would not participate in races or tests in order to focus on his recovery. Initially deemed inoperable, the injury ultimately required surgery. The doctors were reassuring: no lasting effects were expected. But Lorenzo tempers optimism.

On the Duralavita channel, Lorenzo set the scene: in current MotoGP, when you go a long time without riding one of these motorcyclesWe lose something. Of course, little by little, we find it again, and with a rider of Marquez's caliber to boot… »

The statement is not a condemnation, but an observation. The 2026 MotoGP bikes are demanding, radical, and winter no longer offers the luxury of the past: only two major tests, Sepang et Buriramwhere there used to be six or seven appointments to get back into the rhythm.

Jorge Lorenzo: “ I think Marc Marquez feels it, even if only a little. »

« There were only two tests – Sepang and Buriram – unlike before. The time spent on the slopes in winter is very limitedIn short: every round counts. And every week of stoppage weighs heavily.

While Marquez Some recovered, others refined. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Peter Acosta (KTM) will arrive in top form, already in sync with their machines and their settings.

Lorenzo insists: “ When competitors like Bezzecchi, Acosta, and Martín are already on the track when he returns, it gives us no advantage. »

This is not a final judgment, but a warning: winter inertia will be paid for dearly at the first Grand Prix, in Thailand on February 27.

Beyond the numbers, Lorenzo It evokes the “feel,” that slight difference that only the pilot perceives:

« When he arrived in Sepang, it had been four months since he had last ridden following his injury. I think he senses it, even if only a little.That's my opinion. »

This “even a little” is anything but insignificant. In modern MotoGP, a tenth of a second under braking, a hesitation on entry, a doubt on the shoulder… and the advantage changes sides.

Marc Marquez Can he compensate for this lack of racing time with his raw talent and experience? Probably. Can he return to the top immediately? That's where the debate begins. The fact remains that the championship won't slow down for him.

Lorenzo He doesn't bury him. He warns. In a MotoGP where winter is too short and the competition too fierce, “to lose something"can be very expensive."