Marc Marquez fires up Ducati: "Let's stop Bezzecchi's charge"

Marc Marquez arrives at the United States MotoGP Grand Prix as the favorite. At the Circuit of the Americas he boasts a record of seven wins, but he hasn’t won since 2021. With the Ducati Desmosedici, a return to victory is possible, but he knows he’ll have to contend with the Aprilia of a Marco Bezzecchi in splendid form, fresh off four consecutive triumphs.

In Brazil the nine-time world champion clinched his first win of the season in a Sprint and finished 4th in the race, after a long and tricky battle with Di Giannantonio of the VR46 team. In the end Fabio edged him, a sign that there isn’t yet perfect harmony between the GP26 and Marc Marquez. Also to blame are the Spanish ace’s physical conditions, still not optimal as he continues to recover from the injury sustained at Mandalika last October.

In the previous MotoGP season, Marc won the Texas Sprint, but crashed out of the race while leading, leaving the victory to Pecco Bagnaia. Now the reigning champion is gradually rediscovering his best form, progressing step by step, but he needs to regain consistency in results. His lap times are not yet optimal, but the American circuit should give him an extra boost. "It’s a circuit I love, but where I haven’t won in the last four years. I need to see how things are. Marco arrives in top form; he’s the favorite. We’ll try to slow him down, but it will be difficult because he’s the fastest... He won easily in Thailand and Brazil; it’s hard to stop him."

It will once again be a duel between Ducati and Aprilia, and it’s difficult to make predictions at this stage of the MotoGP season. Noale leads in all the standings, but only two Grands Prix have passed. Far too few for long-term forecasts. Who will prevail next weekend? "It’s always a combination of elements. I feel I have the best bike and the best team, so everything is in my hands," said Marc Marquez.

In the two previous long races in Thailand and Brazil, #93 has yet to step onto the podium. Is there an explanation? "I’m at a point where I still need to be patient with myself. Obviously, if I feel it, I attack, and if I can finish third, that’s better than fourth, like I tried to do in Brazil and didn’t manage. That’s the point: to get as many points as possible in every race, because the season is long. It doesn’t mean it will improve, but it could be that from one Grand Prix to the next the dynamics change a bit."

In Thailand and Brazil, Marc Marquez didn’t lose much ground. In which areas is the next step still needed? "The solution has to be found. Sometimes you find it. Sometimes you don’t. Sometimes there’s a reason. Sometimes there isn’t. We’ll try to keep working, as we’ve always done, to get a little closer to that podium and then to that victory."