Marc Marquez rejects Ducati set-up blame at Mandalika MotoGP: “It’s me”

Marc Marquez refused to blame the Ducati set-up when Aprilia’s traction advantage became clear at the Indonesian MotoGP.

After Friday Practice, Marc Marquez sounded optimistic, telling his crew in the latest Inside Ducati video:

“The more rubbered-in the track is, the better it is for me… Since I rely heavily on lean angle.”

"It’s not the set-up… it’s me"

But traction issues persisted on Saturday, prompting Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi to suggest changes from both rider and bike:

“I feel like suggesting… also your body position… the set-up… try doing something to get more traction. I don’t know.”

However, Marquez replied: “It’s not the set-up… it’s me. I know it.”

After qualifying fourth, Marquez then delighted the team with a surprise Sprint victory after the Aprilias of Raul Fernandez, Marco Bezzecchi and title rival Jorge Martin all hit trouble.

But it was back down to earth in the Grand Prix, where Marquez crossed the line sixth after spending much of the race fighting the KTM of Pedro Acosta.

“It felt like it would never end!” a sweat-drenched Marquez told his team in the pit box. “The asphalt was 60 degrees.”

Later in the TV interview zone, Acosta is filmed explaining why he had repeatedly allowed Marquez back past during their battle.

“I was f**ked with the tyre pressures. You have no idea!” said Acosta.

“When I overtook you, I thought ‘Right, that’s it’. Then [the low pressure warning] came back, and I was thinking, ‘No way, not again!’

“What about you? Bad also?” asks Acosta.

“I was fine behind you, but not in front!” Marquez laughs.

Acosta, who will become Marquez’s factory Ducati team-mate in 2027, finished as the leading non-Aprilia in fifth place.

Marquez had never previously reached the chequered flag of a Sunday race at Mandalika, but left with the same two-point deficit to Martin he had started the weekend.

“On Thursday, if you said to me, over all weekend you just lose three points to Bezzecchi and level [points scored] with Martin, it was a dream. And we achieved it," Marquez concludes.

“In the worst circuit for us, we did a great weekend."

Marquez will continue his quest for a tenth world title at Phillip Island next weekend.