Marc Marquez singles out one MotoGP rival for praise: ‘He’s fast in every race’

Marco Bezzecchi’s strong pace in the MotoGP German Grand Prix has come in for praise from factory Ducati duo Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia.

Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi has faced a steep learning curve in 2025, having been thrust into development lead on the RS-GP in his first year on the bike due to the long-term absence of world champion team-mate Jorge Martin.

Having adapted well to the Aprilia in the early stages of the season, Marco Bezzecchi’s pace has taken a significant step.

He won the British Grand Prix at the end of May, before scoring a double podium at the Dutch Grand Prix three rounds later.

Bezzecchi was on course to add to his podium haul at the German Grand Prix, having sat in third for much of it before inheriting second on lap 18 of 30 when Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed out ahead of him.

But Bezzecchi would also fall just a few laps later, having backed off a little to avoid suffering a similar fate to Di Giannantonio.

In a behind-the-scenes video released by MotoGP after the German Grand Prix, race winner Marc Marquez and his third-placed team-mate Pecco Bagnaia are caught heaping praise on Bezzecchi’s performance.

“Bez was the only rider not a Ducati who was strong,” Bagnaia said, before Marquez replied: “He’s strong in every race.”

Bagnaia follows this up by saying: “Since the test in Jerez,” with Marquez responding: “It was Aragon wasn’t it, when he took a step forward?

“Jerez one step, Aragon another,” Bagnaia said.

A key step Bezzecchi has taken in recent rounds since the Aragon test has been his form in time attack trim.

In the early part of the season, Bezzecchi struggled to find stability on the RS-GP when pushing for a lap time on fresh soft rear rubber.

Prior to the Aragon test, his best grid slot was a seventh at the British Grand Prix, from which he won the race.

But after the Aragon test, he was fifth at the Dutch Grand Prix and third in the wet at the German Grand Prix.

Heading into this weekend’s Czech Grand Prix, Bezzecchi is the leading non-Ducati in the championship sixth on 130 points.

The next-best Aprilia is Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura in 14th on 49 points.