Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez is a clear favourite for the 2025 MotoGP title after joining the factory Ducati team.
The Bologna-based outfit dominated 2024 with 13 out of a possible 20 wins. As a manufacturer, Ducati won all but one Grand Prix, finishing with more than double the points of KTM in second.
Francesco Bagnaia won 11 of those races but failed to secure his third consecutive title. Losing to Jorge Martin by 10 points, the Italian is looking to take back his crown in 2025 – but he faces an even bigger challenge.
Marquez has partnered with Bagnaia at Ducati in what is an incredible comeback to MotoGP. The Spaniard has been riddled with misfortune since his injury at Jerez in 2020 with Honda.
The six-time champion returned to form in 2024 with Gresini, winning three races and grabbing 10 podiums on the year-old GP23. Now on equal machinery to Bagnaia, Marquez is quickly becoming the firm favourite for the championship.
But after just one race in 2025, the 32-year-old already feels like a ‘world champion’. He started life at Ducati with a clean sweep at the Thailand Grand Prix.
Marc Marquez feels like a ‘world champion’ after sharing first and second with his brother Alex Marquez in Thailand
Starting on pole position, Marquez won the Sprint and the main race in Buriram. Teammate Bagnaia offered little contest as he finished third in both races.
Splitting the Ducati riders was the Spaniard’s brother and former Gresini teammate Alex Marquez. The result marked the first time in MotoGP history that brothers finished in the top two of a race.
Father Julia Marquez was overwhelmed in Thailand as he watched his sons take the top spots. Speaking at an event in Buenos Aires via the Spanish edition of Motorsport.com, Marc Marquez already feels like a champion after sharing the magical result with his brother.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend
Talking ahead of the Argentine Grand Prix, he said: “I’m a very rejuvenated veteran. I feel the spark inside me, I feel like I’m in a relaxed moment, in my personal and professional life; I feel like I’m not in debt, neither to myself nor to the people.
“I’ve just come out of the biggest challenge of my sporting career, which was those four arm surgeries and eye injuries. Four years of hell that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
“For me, I’m already a world champion. I’ve been able to share first and second place with my brother, and I can enjoy my passion.”
The ‘pact’ Francesco Bagnaia has with Marc Marquez at Ducati
Following his dominance in Thailand, Marquez is already the firm favourite to win the 2025 title. He has a great chance to build a gap to his rivals with Argentina and Austin being two strong circuits for the 32-year-old.
Marquez’s mother is ‘scared’ he is already being declared champion after just one race. There is still plenty of time before Bagnaia and Ducati’s rivals to make a comeback.
However, the Spaniard’s current form is bad news for his teammate. Bagnaia looked beaten after Marquez won in Buriram and will have to find that extra gear in Argentina.
Bagnaia has a ‘pact’ with Marquez at Ducati that he can learn from his teammate’s secrets in left-hand turns. This will be critical for the Italian if he is get the edge over the Spaniard in 2025.
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