Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez is heading into his first MotoGP season in six years as the defending world champion, but Andrea Dovizioso is certain that the Spaniard won’t showcase the same level of dominance as he did last year.
Following years of enduring an injury nightmare at the start of the 2020s, Marc Marquez’s return to full form with the factory Ducati outfit was a sight to behold during the 2025 term.
The 33-year-old rarely put a foot wrong on his way to a seventh MotoGP world title, ending the year with 25 victories over the 36 races that he competed in.
However, Marquez’s season was cut short by a broken collarbone that he sustained just one week after getting his hands on the championship.
Since then, recovery has been the name of the game for Marquez. While the Spaniard spent the majority of the winter break with his arm in a sling, his rivals were able to work on usurping the reigning world champion in the upcoming season of racing.
- READ MORE: Alex Marquez admits he ‘wasn’t prepared’ to battle Marc Marquez for the MotoGP title last year
Is this why Marc Marquez WON’T win the 2026 MotoGP championship?
Andrea Dovizioso predicts Marc Marquez’s rivals to make MotoGP ‘more difficult’ for him in 2026
One of Marquez’s former MotoGP rivals, Andrea Dovizioso, predicted the factory Ducati man to experience a much closer level of competition during his title defence.
“Let’s see how Marc Marquez is physically,” the Italian told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “We need to understand whether the latest injury will affect him or not.
“If Marc isn’t slowed down, we’ll be back on track for the 2025 season. However, the results won’t be the same because, in my opinion, Marquez’s rivals will be ready.
“Last year, they didn’t expect this overwhelming power. They’ll make life more difficult for Marc. Aprilia could be more competitive with [Marco] Bezzecchi.
“Every season has its own story. Since there are no changes to the regulations, I don’t imagine any upheavals. It should be in line with last year.”
Of course, Marquez is still very much the favourite to secure his eighth premier class title in the upcoming season of racing. Still, Dovizioso isn’t alone in his assessment of the field.
MotoGP expert Peter Bom believes Marquez is a lot more vulnerable to his rivals this year, with his ‘silly’ crashes in pre-season testing highlighting that the Spaniard may not be as comfortable atop his new Ducati prototype for 2026.
- READ MORE: Marc Marquez explains the ‘problem’ that caused his three crashes during MotoGP’s Buriram test
What’s your podium prediction for the Thailand Grand Prix?
Marc Marquez is just one win away from a century of victories in Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Even if Marquez doesn’t prove to be as dominant as he was last year in the upcoming term, he can still reiterate his name in the history books with just one victory.
Due to an illustrious career so far in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Marquez could secure his 100th win in the sport, with his current tally sitting at 99 ahead of the season-opener in Thailand.
In the event that he is as formidable as he was in 2025, Marquez could go as far as usurping Valentino Rossi for the record of having the most Grand Prix victories in the premier class altogether.
That may be too much of a tall order, however. While it is technically possible, the Spaniard will need to notch 16 Grand Prix wins to equal the iconic Italian, with 17 sending him into unchartered territory.
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