Marc Marquez: “In the first half of 2026, all I wanted to do on Sundays was lie on the sofa”
Marc Marquez explains the thinking behind his almost indifferent demeanour on the sprint podiums, a strategy rooted in his desire to manage his energy levels throughout the weekend
In the first half of 2026, Marc Marquez, the reigning world champion, expressed his desire to lie on the sofa on Sundays, according to his own statements. During the Austrian and Japanese races, his expression on the podium was far from jubilant, leading many to speculate about his wellbeing. He explained to Motorsport.com that his subdued emotions were part of a deliberate strategy to conserve energy and focus on Sunday's race, when the most points are awarded.
This emotional restraint was a response to the physical toll of adrenaline surges and drops during a Grand Prix, as well as the lingering effects of a shoulder injury suffered in Indonesia last year. The aftermath of that crash, combined with the introduction of sprint races in 2023, has placed a significant burden on Marquez's mental health, forcing him to dedicate more time to physiotherapy and recovery.
Despite being physically fit from a cardiovascular standpoint, Marquez admitted that the mental burden of managing his injury had left him "completely empty" by Sunday, prompting him to adopt this strategy to optimize his performance.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
