Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez extended his MotoGP championship lead at the Italian Grand Prix with a battling performance against his rivals.
For the first time since 2019, the Spaniard has reached the podium for four races in a row, but managed something even more special on Sunday in Mugello for Ducati.
As has been the case often this season, Marquez threw caution to the wind in the opening laps to avoid making a catastrophic mistake. It resulted in him having to fight teammate Francesco Bagnaia.
Despite facing more obstacles than usual, he cruised to victory in the end, extending his lead at the top of the MotoGP standings over brother Alex Marquez to 40 points.
Marquez thinks Bagnaia ‘lacked’ speed at Mugello, despite showing some real sustained aggression for the first time this campaign.
The victor of the Tuscan race wasn’t too popular, with Marquez sending a message to the Italian Grand Prix fans who booed him on Saturday, after earning another victory.
Alex Marquez sends Marc Marquez a five-word message after achieving 93rd win at the Italian Grand Prix
Marquez did some ‘PR spin’ about Bagnaia after suggesting that he wasn’t bothered by how many points his teammate is scoring. He still considers him a threat for the title.
Marc’s Mugello victory marked his 93rd in MotoGP, which is a very special number for him. It’s the number he uses on his bike.
Marquez wanted to avoid boos and it would have been respectful on the occasion of his special 93rd win for fans to obey his wish. His wish was partially granted, with fewer whistles on Sunday than Saturday.
As ever, his brother had his back on social media and took to Instagram to congratulate him for his success in Italy.
“Congratulations on your 93 victories,” he said.
Marquez called Alex ‘essential’ to his training, which shows the close bond the two have. Either winning this season would be a touching MotoGP story with regards to Marc’s comeback, or the younger brother’s patience.
What Marc Marquez has told Ducati not to do with Alex in the 2025 MotoGP battle
With 13 races to go this season, Marquez could easily break the 100 victory mark by the end of the year, considering how dominant he has been for most of the season.
The GP25 has been kinder to his style than anyone, with both Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio struggling for most of the season.
Meanwhile, on the GP24, Alex has been the second fastest rider in the sport this season. No one has matched his level of consistency.
He has been so threatening that Marquez has asked Ducati not to help Alex by giving him upgrades to the GP24 in 2025. He sees the threat he poses clearly.
Currently, he looks like he can be the only man who can prevent him from winning everything. His pressure may be the only thing making Marc slightly uncomfortable.
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