Marc Márquez’s MotoGP Bike Gives Historic American Rider a Test

**Marc Márquez’s MotoGP bike** was the centerpiece of a historic test ride on 28 Jun 2026 when American Supersport racer Kayla Yaakov took the machine for a lap at Misano during World Ducati Week. The Spanish champion’s number 93 bike, normally reserved for race‑day competition, became a showcase for the first woman ever to sit on it.

Yaakov, a rising star in MotoAmerica’s Supersport class, was invited by the Ducati‑backed team co‑owned by former MotoGP rider Ben Spies and IndyCar champion Graham Rahal. The invitation coincided with the week‑long Ducati celebration at the Italian circuit, where manufacturers let select riders experience top‑tier machinery. Yaakov posted an Instagram video on 28 Jun, beaming as she described the ride as “absolutely unbelievable” and noting the bike’s “beauty of a machine.”

The appearance of Márquez’s bike on a promotional event underscores his continued influence beyond his own race results. By allowing a female American rider to handle his machine, Ducati highlights the champion’s legacy as a symbol of performance. It also reinforces Márquez’s partnership with the Italian marque, showing that his number 93 remains a marketing asset for the brand’s outreach programs.

Yaakov entered the Misano test after a breakthrough at the Daytona 200 earlier in the year, where she became the first woman to finish on the podium. She now sits fourth in the MotoAmerica Supersport standings, 67 points behind leader Darryn Binder. Her best finish this season was a second place in Race 2 at Barber Motorsports Park. The Misano experience adds a MotoGP‑level credential to her résumé just as she heads back to the United States for the Laguna Seca round.

After the Misano lap, Yaakov returns to the U.S. to compete at Laguna Seca on 5 Jul 2026. The exposure from riding Márquez’s bike is expected to attract additional sponsorship and possibly a factory Ducati test role later in the year. For Márquez, the event reinforces his status as a global ambassador for Ducati, keeping his name in the conversation even while he focuses on his own championship campaign.

Yaakov thanked a roster of supporters in her post, naming Ben Spies for opening the door, PJ Jacobsen and former MotoGP champion Casey Stoner for on‑track assistance, and the broader Ducati team for logistics. The collaboration illustrates how top‑level riders and former champions can lift emerging talent, creating a pipeline that benefits both the sport and the manufacturers.

The Misano ride may not alter Márquez’s points tally, but it adds a fresh chapter to his legacy, linking his iconic bike with a breakthrough moment for women in motorcycle racing.