Let’s talk MotoGP: Marc Marquez becomes dangerous

We have heard less about Marc Marquez in recent MotoGP races. I don’t know if you have this impression too, but he seems less wild, more concentrated. Why this feeling? There is a chance that the eight-time world champion is already starting to prepare for 2025. And if that is the case, then his opponents have reason to ask questions because he is nothing less than formidable. Analysis.

A much more effective approach

If we omit his small errors in qualifying, Marc Marquez has been much more diligent in recent weeks. He has lost none of his speed, but is in less of a hurry, almost sparing himself. I have the impression that he is no longer looking for first place every time he goes out, which bodes well. Finally, I might bring out an article I wrote at the end of the 2022 seasonjust after Marc admitted to preparing for 2023 by focusing on regularity. Then, for some reason I didn’t understandhe started falling again all the time, absolutely wanting to keep an already overtaken Honda RC213V going. Hopefully this time it will be different.

His weekend in Motegi was very good. We knew he was strong on this track, as proven by his podium finish last year with the Honda. It could only be better with the Ducati. I really think that this outing in the green in qualifying cost him his two races, because we saw, from the example of Bagnaia, how important the starts were on a track so demanding on tires. You shouldn’t follow, but lead, and it’s more difficult when you start ninth. Naturally, his excellent projection capacity allowed him, each time, to get rid of his direct competitors to move up. But once Bagnaia led, it was mission impossible.

Despite an inferior machine, which no one else manages to make work like him, Marquez enjoyed the two races during. His Sprint, in particular, was interesting. He was meticulous, without rushing anything: here is the Marc Marquez that I love. Certainly, he finished third, only a few meters from victory, but did not try the devil to overcome the two official Ducati riders. It was smart of him. The battle with Bastianini did not disgrace him, knowing that close combat is a big weakness for him, and always has been.

Then, during the Grand Prix, he rode alone, most of the time. He beat “Bestia”, which is good for third place in the championship. Clearly, it was a paid weekend (23 points au total), i.e. more than Bastianini (22 units), and barely less than Jorge Martin (26 points). This clearly shows that he is in the game, that he is discussing, that he has nothing to be ashamed of, even in the face of drivers who are fighting for the title.

An approach that would pay off

If Marc Marquez continues this momentum, and even more so in 2025, I don’t see why he couldn’t win the world championship. Modern MotoGP emphasizes velocity more than regularity, that’s a fact. The champions and those who want to be, in recent years, are very fast but fall a lot. The advantage of Marquez is that he falls just as often, but rarely in the race. For a long time, he “chose” his falls to find his limits. He was never as strong as when he looked like he was making mind-numbing saves or being in the gravel trap all the time. On Sunday, however, it almost never fell.

This is not the case for Bagnaia or Martin for example. They are constantly pushing, sometimes making mistakes. This leads to the coronation of drivers who do not have high points averages over the year. Bagnaia, since 2022, has never crushed a season despite numerous victories. In 2019, during its reference year, Marc Marquez averaged more than 19 points on a base of 25 shots, over 21 events. It no longer exists.

Since Aragon and his first two victories with Ducati, the totals are as follows. Marc Marquez scored 119 pointsagainst 107 for Pecco Bagnaia et 122 for Jorge Martin. That’s not all, I dissected this statistic.

On Saturday, in Sprint, Marc Marquez marked 37 pointsagainst 46 for Bagnaia et 36 for Jorge Martinsupposedly the ultimate reference on this format. On Sunday, Marquez scored 82 pawnsagainst 86 for Martin et 61 for Bagnaia.

You will have understood, Marc Marquez is there, very close, in the dynamic of the best, despite a mechanical retirement at Mandalika! It doesn’t show when you look at the rankings, because Marquez took a while to adapt to his mount. It’s too far away for it to be obvious. From now on, he proves that he is capable, without bursting into flames, by piloting intelligently, that he can fight for a world title against two big clients.

A promising year 2025?

We will have the opportunity to talk about it again, but the context could work in his favor next season. I doubt that Martin will be in the mix, just like Di Giannantonio, who will nevertheless be equipped with the only unofficial GP25. I don’t see anyone other than Bagnaia to block the way there. And he has shown, in recent weeks, that he is able to fight with his weapons: perhaps not purely in terms of speed, okay, but with his consistency in performance.

The 1000 franc question is as follows: will he agree, on weekends that are favorable to him, to let Bagnaia go without giving everything to the point of going to the point of going to the ground, thinking only about the long term, on the scale of a season? I’ll let you answer it in comments.

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As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

Photo : Michelin Motorsport