Rivals warned that Marc Marquez will bust "myth" at Dutch MotoGP

Marc Marquez is looking to break another MotoGP "myth" at Assen this weekend.

Marquez comes to Assen for the Dutch MotoGP round after winning the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, his first win there since 2014.

Marquez only has moderate success, by his very high standard, in the Dutch TT round. He has only won there twice in MotoGP, in 2014 and 2018, as well as claiming five other podiums.

But after winning two races at places where he usually struggled, Qatar and Mugello, he is poised to tackle another unfavourable circuit.

“He has won here, a flag-to-flag victory in 2014. He won one of the best MotoGP races of all time here in 2018,” Dorna broadcaster Louis Suddaby said inside the Assen paddock.

“Although I believe Marc when he says that it isn’t one of his stronger circuits, it might not be Aragon or Phillip Island or Sachsenring, but I think it’s a myth that Marc Marquez struggles at circuits such as the TT Assen.

“We were speaking in the run-up to Qatar. A weak circuit for Marc? He took the pole and did the double. We said the same at Mugello. He took the pole and did the double. Weak circuits for Marquez are [the equivalent to] strong circuits for most other riders.”

Pecco Bagnaia given little hope of recreating famous comeback

On the other hand, Francesco Bagnaia was facing an uphill battle to topple the 110-point gap to Marquez, his Ducati team-mate, who stands strong at the top of the standings.

This is not the first time Bagnaia had to chase such a large point gap in standings. Back in 2022, he completed the greatest comeback in MotoGP title fight history by turning the 91-point deficit to Fabio Quartararo to win his first title.

But, the situation is very different this year. Instead of someone from a different manufacturer who was struggling with his bike, Bagnaia now had to face his own team-mate, Marquez, who is in prime form.

Bagnaia struggled with front feeling on his GP25 bike. He ended his hat-trick of wins at Mugello with a fourth place finish, despite being able to put an epic fight against Marquez on the first opening laps.

Coming to Assen, where he won the last three grands prix, Bagnaia needs to show his true form to be able to kickstart his campaign this weekend.

“I am sure that Bagnaia will be clinging onto 2022 and the 91-point deficit he pulled back. But that was different circumstances - it was Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha,” Suddaby adds.

“This time it’s a rider in the same team, on the same motorcycle, who is in peak form. And Pecco is not. He is struggling, the same problems from the start of the season continue to plague him.

“He said a week ago that if it didn’t work at Mugello it would be a sign of genuine issues. If there’s one circuit better for Pecco than Mugello, it is this one. 

"But there is no sign to the light at the end of the tunnel that Pecco is desperate to see.”