Jorge Martin described Monday’s Jerez test as super positive, saying he had already made a big improvement compared to the race weekend. The 2024 world champion worked on electronics and aerodynamics during the test, also revisiting developments tried in preseason that he had missed after skipping the Sepang test following his injury. Martin leaves Jerez in a far better frame of mind than he arrived, with Le Mans in two weeks a genuine opportunity for him to strike.
Toprak Razgatlioglu crashed at Turn 3 in the morning session of the Jerez test, losing around an hour of valuable track time. The three time WorldSBK champion said it was a shame as he continued working on adapting his riding style to the Yamaha V4, with engine braking improvement through electronics the main focus of his day. Alex Rins ended the test 22nd, a full second behind Quartararo on the same machinery.
Aprilia’s aero department produced something radical for the Jerez test, with a new aerodynamic element at the top of the fairing that drew immediate attention in the paddock. Aprilia Technical Director Fabio Sterlacchini joked the elements were handles to help mechanics hold the bike still during flag to flag races, but in reality they appear designed to manage airflow around each side of the rider, reducing drag and improving top speed.
Marc Marquez returned to the circuit on Monday and made the front end feeling his primary focus throughout the Jerez test, working on chassis modifications and describing some aero developments as beneficial in certain areas. The reigning world champion said he was making interesting changes and remained focused on restoring the front feeling that has been the central challenge of his 2026 season. Marquez ended the test fourth fastest.
Ai Ogura topped the Jerez test with a 1:35.944, leading a Trackhouse Aprilia one-two as Raul Fernandez finished just five thousandths of a second behind. Title leader Marco Bezzecchi completed an Aprilia top three, with Marc Marquez fourth as the top Ducati and Pedro Acosta fifth for KTM. Aprilia will return to Jerez later in the week for private testing when they debut their 850cc prototype.
Fabio Quartararo finished seventh in Monday’s Jerez test and reported finding a small improvement in front end feeling after testing a range of chassis, swingarm, aero and electronic parts on the Yamaha V4. The Frenchman said the last aero configuration he ran was the most positive but warned Le Mans would be a bit better rather than a major step forward. Electronics remain the biggest area of concern.
Marc Marquez reported improved front end confidence after Monday’s Jerez test, saying he started to feel better in the left corners that had been a weakness all season. Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi confirmed Marquez was happy with the new aerodynamic configuration, which included a revised fairing and swingarm aero. Marquez completed 68 laps and ended the test fourth fastest, behind an Aprilia one-two-three headed by Ai Ogura.
Francesco Bagnaia said he needed to stop in the Spanish Grand Prix as it became very difficult to reduce speed during the race, pulling out while running ninth. Bagnaia’s retirement alongside Marc Marquez extended the factory Ducati team’s winless run to nine consecutive races and left them without a Sunday podium since the Japanese Grand Prix last year. The team that dominated MotoGP for three straight seasons is in a full scale crisis.
Marc Marquez tried to manage his pace in the main race after Alex passed him, knowing his brother was quicker, and targeting third or fourth place when the front end washed away at Turn 11. He said it was his strongest weekend of 2026 but acknowledged there is still work to do in dry conditions. It was his second straight DNF at Jerez in as many years.
Marc Marquez crashed at Turn 13 in the Jerez Sprint, remounted, rode across the grass and into pitlane, switched to his wet bike and won the race. He was in the pits around 20 seconds after hitting the floor. The FIM investigated the pitlane entry but found no breach of regulations, with the race bulletin only covering the solid white line on the inside of pit entry. Zarco said he should not have won.