Marquez in pain after Austin crash: ‘I will struggle a bit more all weekend’

Marc Marquez admitted he is still feeling pain “everywhere” after his high-speed crash in Austin practice, warning it could compromise the rest of his United States Grand Prix weekend.

The factory Ducati rider was gradually building speed in the opening practice session on Friday morning when he hit the deck over the crest at Turn 10.  He then slid downhill along the asphalt and through the gravel before hitting the air fence at the corner exit.

Race control immediately red-flagged the session, and Marquez appeared in visible discomfort as he returned to the paddock on a scooter.

MotoGP’s medical chief Angel Charte eventually cleared the Spaniard of any injuries, allowing him to return to the track later in the session and set the fourth-quickest time.

Marquez, who is the most successful rider in history at the Circuit of the Americas, went on to top the main Practice session in the afternoon, securing a direct berth into Q2.

However, despite his impressive performance, the 33-year-old remains concerned about the effects of his crash, as he explained the incident in detail to reporters in Austin.

“Today was completely my mistake,” he explained. That turn 10 is one of the corners that I like more and I love, because it's one of the strong points for my riding style.

“You have a memory to do a corner in one mode, and already on lap 3-4, I tried to make the corner like always, but I was not careful that on this circuit, there are new bumps from one year to the other one. As we saw many [riders having] moments on that corner, before you lean the bike, there are a lot of bumps there. 

“Luckily for this afternoon, I changed the line a bit, but I was too optimistic on that first lap. In the end, I saved that crash, but during the whole weekend, I will struggle a bit more because the problem is that I hit the wall at high speed.”

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

Asked where he was feeling pain, Marquez replied: “The arms, the fingers, everywhere. When you have that kind of crash, it is everywhere, but especially the back and the neck is the worst point. Let’s see because now it's still warm. Let's see how I will get up tomorrow.

He added that his battered right shoulder, which was last damaged in a crash at the 2025 Indonesian GP, was not a point of concern.

“Shoulder is okay. After that, I feel less pain in the shoulder, because the pain is concentrating on other points,” he joked.

Marquez was travelling at over 190km/h when he lost the rear of his Ducati at the fast left-hander.

Given the speeds involved, the seven-time world champion called for the organisers to expand the run-off area at Turn 10, warning that the run-off area may not be sufficient.

“On that corner, some riders already arrived at the wall,” he said. “It's a bit on the limit, because we arrive at a high speed there, as you see, 200km/h. 

“The fact that I lose the front immediately when I start to roll the gas makes everything even with more speed. They know already, and I arrived at the wall at high speed. 

“So if we increase the run-off area a bit there, it will be better.

“It's true that next year we will have 800cc [bikes next year], but I believe that still with Moto2 they can arrive at the wall.”