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With his victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, Marc Marquez has closed the gap to just two points behind Jorge Martin in the 2026 MotoGP championship battle.
Their title duel continues this weekend at the Indonesian Grand Prix, presenting a crucial test for Marquez. Mandalika has been a nightmare venue for the Spaniard, where he has failed to finish a Sunday race in all four of his previous appearances.
In 2022, Marquez did not even start the race after a massive highside during Sunday morning warm-up triggered a recurrence of diplopia (double vision). That injury also sidelined the then-Honda rider from the Argentine Grand Prix two weeks later. A year later, again on a Honda, the Spaniard crashed out of both the Sprint and the Grand Prix on Lombok Island. In 2024, he secured third in the Sprint before an engine failure on his Gresini Ducati forced him to retire from the main race.
Twelve months ago, Marquez endured a particularly challenging weekend in Indonesia just a week after wrapping up the world title in Japan. On Friday, the Ducati rider failed to secure a top-10 spot in practice, forcing him into Q1 for the first time that season. After advancing in second place, he could only manage the ninth-fastest time in the decisive pole position shootout.
Later that day, Marquez crossed the line in sixth place in the Sprint, but 24 hours later his Grand Prix ended at Turn 7 after being taken down by Marco Bezzecchi. The world champion suffered a shoulder injury in the crash that brought an abrupt end to his season. The lingering effects hampered him into the start of the current campaign, eventually requiring another surgery.
It remains to be seen whether Mandalika will be kinder to Marquez this year, or if misfortune will strike him once again on the Lombok circuit.
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