Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez’s Dutch Grand Prix had just about all the ups and downs that a MotoGP weekend can have for a rider.
The Spaniard won both races after recovering from two high-speed crashes during Friday’s practice session.
But Marquez’s confidence could easily have taken a hit after such falls at what is known to be quite a tricky track at the best of times.
Nevertheless, he soldiered on as ever and continues to be Ducati’s superstar in a season where they have by far the most consistent and competitive bike on the grid.
Marquez is reminding Jorge Lorenzo of Casey Stoner in 2025, just for the sheer margin between himself and his teammate Francesco Bagnaia.
Team boss Luigi Dall’Igna believes Marquez is ‘making the difference’ over Bagnaia in knowing exactly when to push to his limits.
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MotoGP microphones pick up Marc Marquez’s ‘inflammation’ comment about injuries
Marquez has one ‘over the top’ weakness at Ducati and has almost been working too much for success in 2025. Davide Tardozzi recognises how hard he works.
His 68-point lead in the riders’ championship is a reflection of that, but it hasn’t come without taking risks.
Two major mistakes at COTA and in Jerez have cost him north of 40 points. Otherwise, his advantage would be three figures before the halfway point in the season.
It’s these risks that will worry Ducati, with his two crashes in practice at Assen causing some damage to him, which MotoGP microphones caught him admitting after the Dutch Grand Prix.
“My arm is stiff, but it’s not stiff like [usual], it’s stiff because of inflammation,” he told his Ducati colleagues.
It’s something to keep an eye on as the season progresses, because if it gets worse and he has a big championship lead, there shouldn’t be any pressure to race.
Marc Marquez seen doing something ‘not good at all’ after Assen crash
Marquez is no stranger to big shunts, having experienced his fair share of them as his time at Honda drew to a close.
When things are close, he isn’t afraid to push the limits in the pursuit of more performance. It was evidenced at Assen, where he hadn’t won since 2018 and was clearly trying to find more pace.
No one can match his hunger and desire to win, even at the age of 32, as he flirts with becoming the oldest MotoGP champion ever.
Marquez was seen doing something ‘not good at all’ and looked a bit shaken up after his crashes in Assen, but he soon proved to the world that he was fine in the following days, by winning the sprint and the Grand Prix.
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