Marc Marquez started his debut MotoGP season as a manufacturing unit Ducati rider in a household duel with youthful brother Alex at Gresini, the pair ending first and second in all however one of many opening six races.
The exception was COTA, the place Marc crashed out of the lead and Alex completed runner-up to Francesco Bagnaia.
Marc made one other mistake at Jerez, settled for second within the Le Mans rain, then salvaged a podium at Silverstone earlier than launching his present 14-race unbeaten run.
Alex was once more the primary challenger within the early a part of that streak, however latest rounds have seen much more selection.
Alex, Marco Bezzecchi, Pedro Acosta, Fabio di Giannantonio and rookie Fermin Aldeguer – 5 riders, three producers and 4 bike specs – have every featured as ‘better of the remaining’ within the final six races (three rounds).
Marc Marquez insists it makes no distinction who he’s preventing.
“I do not care,” he smiled. “Within the first a part of the championship, I used to be preventing particularly with Alex. We have been at all times there in first-second, second-first, with some errors the place we misplaced a whole lot of factors.
“However now, with this [points] benefit, I simply attempt to do my most each weekend and it would not matter if I am preventing towards di Giannantonio, KTM or Aprilia, like within the final races.”
Hungary was “best Dash of the season”
The Ducati Lenovo star is a large 175 factors away from Alex heading into this weekend’s Barcelona spherical, as his march continues in the direction of a primary MotoGP crown since 2019.
And whereas followers could crave nearer battles on the entrance, Marquez is obvious about essentially the most environment friendly approach to win.
“It is simpler to do your personal race. That is one thing you’re employed for, to extend the benefit towards the others,” he stated.
“For instance, [Hungary] was the simplest Dash race of the season. Why? As a result of usually the strongest opponent within the Dash was my brother Alex, who’s super-fast with a brand new tyre.
“Even in Austria he was pushing me in the beginning, whereas di Giannantonio [second in Hungary] is extra a second-part-of-the-race rider, like me.”
The combo of rivals can be why Marquez compares his 2025 marketing campaign to his remaining Honda title.
“In 2014 I used to be successful, successful, successful. This yr I am successful lots too! However particularly 2019, I used to be at all times there, however with totally different opponents.
“Some riders may beat me in a single race, however I used to be at all times first, second, second, first. And that’s the most vital for the championship. All the time be within the prime three, even at circuits which are weak for you.
“It is true that we’ll arrive at circuits, and possibly [this weekend in] Catalonia is a weak circuit for me, however I’ll attempt to be on the rostrum. And that is the goal, with a special racetrack, totally different circumstances, at all times be within the prime three.”
One rider notably absent from the latest runner-up battle is Bagnaia, who has not completed second to Marquez since Qatar and has missed the podium fully within the final three rounds.
Marc Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia
Why has the hole to Bagnaia grown?
“As a result of I am in my prime confidence and Pecco is in a really deep second about confidence and feeling,” Marquez stated.
“And this blended with a few of my strongest circuits, stop-and-go, whereas Pecco’s weak circuits are stop-and-go. He is at all times flowing lots and utilizing a whole lot of nook velocity.”
Bagnaia returns to a extra beneficial structure at Barcelona, the place he gained each races from pole in final yr’s season finale.
Marquez, nonetheless, was simply 1.5s behind on a year-old GP23 in his remaining Gresini look.
