Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez collected his eighth double victory of the 2025 MotoGP season at the Czech Grand Prix. The Ducati rider once again displayed his dominance, but he had a new opponent to fend off.
Pedro Acosta finally ended his podium drought in 2025 by finishing second in the Sprint race. The KTM rider had been leading the race when the Ducatis suffered tyre pressure issues.
Marquez relinquished the lead to his fellow compatriot while he got his tyre pressure back to optimal. Once he achieved that, the 32-year-old easily passed Acosta back and claimed victory.
Acosta exceeded Marquez’s expectations in Brno as the Ducati rider had felt he would struggle, having never raced at the circuit before. It was the first time the Czech Grand Prix was on the MotoGP since 2019, but it mattered little to the KTM rider as he was immediately on the pace.
In the race, the 21-year-old battled with Francesco Bagnaia and fended off a late charge to finish third, grabbing KTM’s first Grand Prix podium of the season in front of their hierarchy. His performance may well have intimidated Marquez.
Marc Marquez’s interaction with Pedro Acosta at the Czech GP shows he wants to ‘put him in his place’
After the Sprint race on Saturday, behind-the-scenes footage showed Marquez and Acosta driving in a car from the podium, along with Enea Bastianini, who finished third. Journalists Neil Morrison and Adam Wheeler noticed a rivalry may be brewing between the Spaniards after looking at their interactions.
The pair did not speak ‘a great deal’ to each other, which may be a sign that Marquez wants to put Acosta ‘in his place’ and keep him in check. Meanwhile, the KTM rider knows that he is the one he needs to beat.
“I’m not sure if anyone has seen it, but the behind the scenes footage after the Sprint podium when they’re driving in the car, I think from the podium to the TV broadcaster set,” said Morrison via the Paddock Pass Podcast.
“Observe the body language and the interactions between Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta, very, very interesting. Let’s see that there’s not a great deal said between the pair and you just get the sense that Marc’s looking at him thinking: ‘I really need to keep an eye on this guy.”
Wheeler then added: “Yeah, but also there’s that cockiness. I think Pedro might be one of the riders on the grid that Marc will be probably more eager to put in his place.
“But by the same token, I think as well, Acosta is very clear about who’s the top dog and the man he needs to usurp the most. I think that’s a potential rivalry bubbling up there.”
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Marc Marquez has shown signs of a rivalry with Pedro Acosta earlier in 2025
It is perhaps not a surprise that the two riders may have some conflict on MotoGP. Acosta ‘hates’ being called the new Marquez as he wants to make a name for himself in the premier class.
It is therefore natural that the 21-year-old may want to distance himself from the six-time champion and focus on beating him. But Marquez has already taken steps in 2025 to put Acosta right where he wants him.
Neil Hodgson noticed Marquez cosying up to Fermin Aldeguer at Aragon after he finished third in the Sprint. Aldeguer and Acosta do not get on from their time in the lower divisions, which Hodgson saw as a sign that Marquez was sending a message to his rival.
Acosta wants to become a world champion and he is targeting a move to Ducati in the near future, with VR46 being heavily linked. In response to this, Marquez gave an ambiguous answer, stating that he would do better than on a KTM, but no more than that.
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