Marco Bezzecchi
Alvaro Bautista regards Marc Marquez as ‘one of the most talented riders’ in the history of motorcycle racing, even if he’s been somewhat ‘lucky’ to race exclusively for ‘good teams’.
Marquez made his MotoGP debut for the Honda factory squad in 2013, having won the Moto2 title. Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner had just delivered the teams’ title for the brand, though Jorge Lorenzo beat them to the riders’ championship.
When Marquez finally left Honda just over a decade later, he climbed onto a year-old Ducati at Gresini. An impressive third-place finish earned him a promotion to the official team, where he won his seventh premier-class title last year.
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Alvaro Bautista says Marc Marquez has ‘always had good bikes’
Bautista was asked about Marquez on the Fast and Curious podcast. He raced against him in MotoGP from 2013 to 2018 before moving to Superbikes.
In Marquez’s first two years, they both rode Honda motorcycles, with Bautista representing their then satellite team Gresini.
Bautista compared the 33-year-old to his idol Mick Doohan, who won five world championships after a severe accident that very nearly saw his leg amputated. Marquez underwent four surgeries on his arm between his last Honda title in 2019 and his 2025 Ducati title.
How big a role has luck played in Marc Marquez’s success?
“I think he’s a fantastic rider with a lot of talent, and well, he’s been lucky in part too because he’s always had good teams, always had good bikes, always had good support,” said Bautista.
“So, that helps too, but we shouldn’t take away from all the merit and talent he has. He’s had difficult moments and recovered.
“It’s been a bit like Mick Doohan, my idol, he’s done something similar, hasn’t he? Difficult moments of saying, ‘Well, I’ve already won a lot, I’ll stay home because it’s hurting myself.’
“And in the end, he’s been stubborn enough to say, ‘No, I have to prove to myself and to everyone that I can win again.’
“He’s made choices that maybe another rider wouldn’t have made because he was sure of himself, and the confidence he had is important. You just have to take your hat off to him for everything he’s done, how he’s done it, and well, for me, he’s one of the most talented riders in history.”
‘It won’t be a walk in the park for Marc’ – Alvaro Bautista on the 2026 MotoGP season
Marquez entered 2026 as the strong favourite for title number eight, but that status is under threat after a difficult start. He is fifth in the standings with three rounds gone, 36 points behind the impressive Aprilia of Marco Bezzecchi.
Marquez still isn’t 100% fit after undergoing shoulder surgery last autumn. The crash at the Indonesian GP ended his season with four rounds remaining.
Bautista was asked about the title fight after the first round in Thailand (where Bezzecchi won and Marquez retired with a tyre failure), but his comments are still applicable.
- READ MORE: Alvaro Bautista questions the ‘level’ of today’s MotoGP after seeing Marc Marquez’s domination
“I think at first glance it seems more entertaining than last year, which seemed like a one-sided affair,” he said.
“What’s clear is that Aprilia, at least in the three preseason tests and the first race, has improved a lot, right? And Ducati, all the riders there now seem to be finding it a bit harder.
“Let’s see how the championship develops, but I think this championship won’t be such a walk in the park for Marc, will it? I also think he’s not quite at 100% physically yet.”
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