Assault on Marc Marquez's throne: "Ready to make his life difficult"

Marc Marquez has returned to the top of MotoGP after years of difficulties. Last year he won the world title with extreme ease, in his first year in the factory Ducati garage. The injury at Mandalika forced him to bow out early, but only after he had already mathematically secured first place. Now the next challenge is to stay on top and defend the world champion title.

Marc Marquez’s three crashes during the Buriram test raised some doubts about the true state of the superstar’s health. He probably isn’t yet at his best; MotoGP imposes physical and psychological stress beyond the ordinary. Over race distance he could lose something, but nothing to worry about. However, there’s the increasingly fierce competition to contend with, with young talents growing hungry for wins and titles. Despite muscle fatigue, Marc Marquez finished the last MotoGP test with the third fastest time, less than two tenths of a second behind Marco Bezzecchi.

The enemy fire doesn’t come only from within, but also from outside. Ducati remains the favorite bike, with Pecco Bagnaia and Alex Marquez the direct competitors in the assault on the 2026 world title. But Aprilia also proves it’s not joking around, with Bez and Jorge Martin who could throw a wrench in the works for the Cervera phenomenon, now 33 years old.

Alex Marquez starts again as the world vice-champion and, this time, with a GP26 Ducati, on par with his older brother. “It depends on the circuits. I think things could be a bit more balanced because of the situation he found himself in all winter, recovering from the injury in Indonesia,” Alex Marquez said at the end of the preseason. “We’ll see where we are; the Aprilias will be there too, and I also see Pecco” (Bagnaia) “stronger. This year it will be important to know your place at every moment and accept it. That will be the key.”

Everyone expects the return of Pecco Bagnaia, the final swan song before his farewell to Ducati. It could be a great satisfaction for the Piedmont native to win before leaving... He needs to file away the dreadful 2025 MotoGP season and look ahead with confidence. “Last year was a difficult year, something that can happen to any athlete who is always at the front. During the Buriram test, we worked very hard on new riding styles and on understanding the bike. I think we made another step forward. I’m still missing something, and I hope to get it on race weekend.”

Pedro Acosta wants to believe, at least until he has to reckon with the limits of a KTM that’s not yet at the top. Energized by the rider market, poised to announce a move to Ducati alongside Marquez from 2027, the Shark of Mazarron keeps confidence high. “I was missing a bit of ‘grit’ on the fast lap. We had a good preseason... Let’s hope the situation changes on race day, and that we can give the final push because we weren’t that far from Marc and Pecco. We just need to see how we perform on a race weekend; that’s where everything changes.”

Aprilia is counting heavily on Bezzecchi, so much so that they renewed his contract for another two years well before the start of the MotoGP season. He has already shown he has the makings of a champion, winning three Grands Prix in 2025 and standing on the podium six more times. The curly-haired rider from Romagna has grit and, above all, a bike that could guarantee him great satisfaction. “I’m very happy with the work done by Aprilia; we tested many components. I’m satisfied with the bike. Ducati was very fast and will be there in the race.”

Just a few hours to go before the moment of truth; only the track can deliver the real verdict. Andrea Dovizioso challenged Marc Marquez many times in past years, when the Desmosedici was not yet the impeccable bike it is today. Today the rider from Forlì is a Yamaha test rider, a brand grappling with a thousand difficulties.

But the battle at the top also fascinates those who have to fight at the back... “We’ll see how he is physically. We have to understand whether his latest injury will influence him or not,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “If he isn’t limited, he will return to the starting point in the 2025 season.” However, he issued a clear warning: the context won’t be the same. “The rivals will be prepared. Last year they didn’t expect such overwhelming dominance. They will make things more difficult for Marc.”