Marc Marquez has been on top form in MotoGP this season and shown signs of returning to his very best with Ducati’s factory team.
The Spaniard has won all six sprint races on offer and holds a 22-point championship lead over fellow Ducati rider Alex Marquez on the Gresini. Marquez’s quest for an elusive seventh MotoGP title spans nearly six years now, but 2025 represents the best opportunity he has had yet.
After seeking a Honda exit in 2023, Gresini were scared to sign Marquez, but it turned out to be a great move as he returned to winning ways immediately with them.
Marquez recently made a ‘key change’ and is always looking to make adjustments to his approach to gain an advantage over his rivals. That involves working on some things where there is room for improvement, including one weakness which baffled Cal Crutchlow.
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Neil Hodgson pinpoints the moment Marc Marquez ‘realised’ he could destroy his MotoGP rivals
Since arriving in the sport well over a decade ago, the six-time champion stood out while riding his Honda bike almost immediately. His elbow would touch the ground at every corner, giving him extra tyre feedback, and crucially, extra time to save his bike when required.
Overall, it allowed him to push more, make fewer mistakes, and showed his rivals that there was a quicker way to ride. TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson believes that the only consequence of such a move is when it goes wrong, which Marquez is not fazed by.
“Also, I think Marc is so brave. Once he realised he could push past the limit and save it on his own, he was happy to do that.
“The consequences are that you get hurt when it goes wrong. This man doesn’t care, does he? If it made him faster, he was prepared to take the risks.”
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What else makes Marc Marquez so special compared to his MotoGP rivals?
Alberto Puig says Marquez’s friendship sets him apart from any other rider on track, and shows just what an incredible human being he is. This is a man who has also had the pleasure of working with Casey Stoner, who worked miracles for Ducati in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Honda’s ‘lowest point’ with Marquez came in 2023 and it was not long after that they agreed to part ways. Since then, both sides have rebuilt themselves and even the Japanese manufacturer are showing signs of life, after recently ending Ducati’s streak of 22 consecutive victories.
The man who claimed that victory is Johann Zarco, who managed to win his home race in front of his adoring fans at Le Mans. Even Zarco couldn’t understand Marquez’s old Honda data as he looked to learn from what the special rider had done in past seasons.
