“A stupid mistake”: Alex Marquez explains French MotoGP crash

Gresini Ducati MotoGP rider Alex Marquez says his crash out of the French Grand Prix was “a stupid mistake” after a tough weekend at Le Mans.

Last year’s championship runner-up came into the French Grand Prix off the back of his and Ducati’s first victory of the season at Jerez.

But Alex Marquez struggled from Friday at Le Mans, with the Spaniard only eighth in the sprint and never a factor in the podium battle before crashing out of the grand prix.

Explaining the crash, Marquez says he was too cautious into the Dunlop chicane due to fears over his tyre temperature.

“I probably took Turn 3 a little slower, fearing the front tyre was still a bit cold,” he said.

“And then I opened up a little more on the gas at Turn 4 and lost the front in a wheelie.

“It was a stupid mistake on my part, but fortunately, aside from a bump to the head, I wasn't hurt.

“It's great to have Barcelona so soon to make up for this race.”

Marquez will be hoping for a reset in Barcelona this weekend, where he won at last year.

Aprilia not as dominant as previously, claims Alex Marquez

His struggles came as Ducati failed to make it on the podium on Sunday at Le Mans, with Aprilia celebrating an historic 1-2-3.

But Marquez doesn’t believe Aprilia was as dominant as it has been previously in 2026.

“I think Pecco [Bagnaia] was on the podium today,” he told Spain’s Motorsport.

“He could have done it; he wasn’t doing badly, and Fabio Di Giannantonio was also going fast at the end of the race.

“I think today it came down to small details.

“But it’s true that the Aprilias were competitive here—not with the step forward they seemed to have at the start of the year, but they do have a bit more in the long run.

“We have to keep working and pushing, and that’s it. But I think at Ducati we’re closer than we were at the start of the year.”