Marc Marquez confidante says he’s no longer ‘willing’ to do one thing he did at Honda MotoGP team

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Marc Marquez won on his Ducati debut at the Thailand Grand Prix last weekend. It was the kind of serene weekend many predicted after his dominant performance in pre-season testing.

Marquez beat out his brother Alex to take pole position and then cruised to victory in the Sprint. The race itself was slightly more problematic after Ducati made a mistake in their tyre pressure calculations.

The six-time MotoGP champion decided to drop back into second to get his Michelin rubber back into the legal range. That meant he avoided a 16-second penalty.

Ducati’s engineers looked shocked in the garage when he slowed down, but he exuded calm. He repassed Marquez junior with three laps remaining and then offered a glimpse of his true pace as he stretched his lead before the chequered flag.

It was a victory that underlined the 32-year-old’s status as the title favourite. He’s eyeing his first championship since 2019, when he was riding for Honda.

Giacomo Agostini says Marquez is drawing added motivation from Valentino Rossi this year. He’s looking to match his old rival with a seventh premier-class triumph.

Close Marc Marquez ally reveals change in his approach after Ducati move

Speaking to Motorsport.com, an unnamed confidante claimed MotoGP fans will see ‘an improved version’ of Marquez this year. The source in question has accompanied him ‘practically since he stepped into the paddock’.

The key difference is mentality. During his Honda days, Marquez was prone to prone to ‘pushing too hard’ even when he had a ‘big advantage’, which led to falls.

This year, however, he’s not ‘willing’ to make those mistakes. With Ducati motorcycles maintaining their stranglehold over the winter, he can afford to be risk-averse.

Marquez recently shared what he’d learned since he graduated to the highest level in 2013. He now knows that there is a five-lap window where most races are decided, and that’s the only moment where it’s necessary to gamble.

“This Marc is another Marc,” his ally said. “It is an improved version. Until the injury he didn’t mind overdoing it and pushing too hard, even though he had a big advantage over the rest.

“That sometimes led him to make mistakes that now, coming from the stage he’s coming from, he’s not willing to make.”

Marc Marquez earns praise from Formula 1 legend after winning Thailand Grand Prix

Luigi Dall’Igna kissed Marquez’s bike after the Thai GP, a symbolic gesture. It shows he’s already won the hearts of the Ducati team after just one race weekend.

As it stands, Marquez holds the record for most MotoGP wins in a season (13). Given Ducati’s superiority, he can legitimately aim to break that this year.

Many fans will hope that doesn’t happen, because it could make for a rather dull championship. Others would say it’s a privilege to watch such greatness.

Indeed, F1 legend Felipe Massa says Marquez deserves ‘success’ after ‘everything’ he’s been through. Between 2020 and 2023, he failed to complete a full season amid a series of surgeries on a broken arm.