Dorna have issued a controversial instruction to MotoGP broadcasters before Marc Marquez seals title

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Marc Marquez’s 2025 championship triumph has long been an inevitability. MotoGP bosses Dorna have had plenty of time to prepare for his coronation.

If Marquez outscores his brother Alex by three points at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, the championship will be sealed. He has led the standings since Qatar in April, when he took his third win in the opening four races.

Since then, Marquez has built his lead by an average of nearly 14 points per weekend, which gives him a giant 182-point cushion heading to Motegi. MotoGP’s official social channels have adopted the slogan ‘#ComebackLoading’.

This is in recognition of the injury nightmare he endured in his final years at Honda. Marquez will be presented with the ‘Tower of Champions’ trophy at the prizegiving ceremony after the season has concluded.

Dorna want Marc Marquez to be called a six-time champion

One of the talking points heading into the Japanese GP has been the language around Marquez’s impending title win.

In a recent social media post, Dorna said Marquez is going for his seventh championship, which triggered a backlash from fans. Many feel it should be called his ninth, given that he’s also lifted the 125cc and Moto2 trophies.

Following the arrival of Liberty Media, Dorna are trying to place a greater emphasis on MotoGP as the star of the show. This entails, as The Race have reported, ‘a gradual erasure’ of lower-class titles, which carry far less importance in the world of Formula 1.

MotoGP broadcasters have apparently been told to describe Marquez as a six-time champion, or seven if he does what’s required at Motegi. It remains to be seen how the Ducati rider, who memorably posed with an eight ball when he triumphed in 2019, will celebrate the achievement.

Where Marc Marquez stands on MotoGP title counting row

Marquez was asked about the title controversy in Thursday’s pre-race press conference, and he simply said that ‘it’s not in my hands’.

Behind the scenes, Marquez has spoken to Dorna’s senior management about the issue. They were keen to stress that they’re not trying to ‘take two championships away from him’.

Marquez is said to understand the position taken by Carmelo Ezpeleta and co. It would have greater ramifications for a rider like Giacomo Agostini, who won 15 titles overall but ‘only’ eight in the premier class.

Whatever the metric, Marquez will equal Valentino Rossi, his great rival and former idol. He says it’s ‘hard to believe’ what he’s about to achieve.