Winner of the Indonesian Sprint, Marc Marquez could only manage sixth place the following day, allowing Jorge Martín to reclaim the championship lead by two points. For Dani Pedrosa, a consultant for DAZN, the Ducati rider was primarily deprived of one of his usual strengths: his ability to brake late and attack corner entries. This anomaly raises a crucial question with five Grands Prix remaining: can the Ducati factory still provide Marquez with the means to challenge Aprilia?
On Saturday, Marc Marquez seemed to have pulled off the perfect move. By winning the Mandalika Sprint, he took the lead in the world championship for the first time this season. Twenty-four hours later, Jorge Martin reclaimed his position thanks to his third-place finish, while the Spaniard finished sixth.
Two points now separate the two men. But behind this reversal in the standings, Dani Pedrosa has primarily identified an unusual phenomenon in Marquez 's riding.
Marquez deprived of his favorite weapon
Speaking on DAZN, the former MotoGP rider expressed surprise at the difficulties his compatriot encountered under braking. " We saw him struggling entering corners, which is normally his strong point. He was more cautious than usual , a little less effective under heavy braking ."
The observation is particularly revealing. Marquez 's ability to brake late, load the front end, and pivot his bike has historically been one of his trademarks. However, on Sunday, this aggressiveness seemed to be absent.
Pedrosa suggests that excessive front tire pressure may have affected the Ducati 's handling . He clarifies, however, that the exact cause remains uncertain. His sporting assessment, on the other hand, is unambiguous: " Marc had to survive because the feeling wasn't good ."
Ducati versus an Aprilia that dictates the pace
While Marquez was trying to limit the damage, the RS-GP bikes occupied the top four positions. Marco Bezzecchi won the race ahead of Raul Fernandez, Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura.
Pedrosa particularly appreciated the way Bezzecchi built his victory. After keeping pace with Fernandez , the Italian accelerated in the second half of the race, creating a decisive gap.
This demonstration highlights Ducati 's difficulty : at Mandalika, it wasn't enough for Marquez to ride at his best to guarantee victory. He also needed a bike capable of matching the qualities of the Aprilia.
You've voted for the key move in the title fight 📩
Martin wins the Best Overtake of the #IndonesianGP 🇮🇩🦾 #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/6rKGtYmHZr
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 13, 2026
Can Dall'Igna find the answer for Marquez?
For Pedrosa , the last five Grands Prix will present Ducati with a major technical challenge. " It's now a question of seeing how Ducati and Dall'Igna approach the final races: whether they can offer Marc something more or simply optimize the settings as much as possible ."
The distinction is important. At this stage of the season, a major overhaul of the machine seems unlikely. The work could focus primarily on optimizing the setup and building confidence in the front end.
Marquez nevertheless salvaged valuable points on Sunday, winning the Sprint. His weekend therefore didn't collapse completely. But against such a competitive Aprilia , any technical weakness now risks being immediately punished.
Martin takes back control, without having explored everything.
Pedrosa also believes Jorge Martin could have achieved more. He thinks a better start would have allowed the Aprilia rider to aim for second place, especially when Fernandez began to experience physical difficulties.
Nursing a finger injury, the TrackHouse rider had to adjust his braking technique, a considerable mental effort at this level. Nevertheless, Martin achieved the essentials: a podium finish and first place in the championship. " On Saturday, Marquez took the lead; on Sunday, Martin reclaimed it. An incredible battle for the world title ," Pedrosa summarized.
At Mandalika, Marquez hadn't forgotten how to brake. But his Ducati didn't allow him to attack as he wanted. And when two title contenders are separated by only two points, making up a few meters under braking can become as important in MotoGP as winning a race.
