Marc Marquez: “Maybe it's time to stop these victories in a row”
Marc Marquez insists he'll need to "work a bit harder" to keep his MotoGP win streak alive in front of his home fans in Barcelona.
Unbeaten in a MotoGP race since Silverstone in May, Marc Marquez insists this weekend’s home Barcelona round could be the moment where his 14-race streak comes to an end.
For reasons even Marquez says are not entirely clear, the Catalunya track has proven to be one of his weakest circuits, with only two wins from eleven MotoGP appearances.
“Of course, as every year, here in Montmelo, I know that I will need to work a bit more than on other circuits to try to reach the top level that will be the target during the weekend,” Marquez said on Thursday.
“But we arrive in a good shape. It's true that it's one of my worst circuits in the calendar, but the fact that it's a home GP gives me always extra motivation, to try to score the maximum points.”
Among the rivals expected to threaten Marquez’s supremacy are his younger brother Alex, whose preference for flowing corners helped him outqualify Marc as Gresini team-mates last season.
“It can be,” Marc replied when asked if Catalunya could be the toughest challenge yet to keep his win streak alive.
“Maybe it's time to stop these victories in a row. We don't know. will try to fight for the top.
"But it's true that, not only Alex [is fast], also Pecco won the last two GPs here. Also Aprilia, normally here with Aleix, was super fast. So let's see if we can be with that top group.”
Despite his modest record, many are pointing to Marc’s close runner-up finish to Bagnaia in November’s race, while on last year’s difficult GP23, as a sign of what’s to come this weekend.
Meanwhile, Barcelona also signals a return to the track where Marc completed his first factory Ducati laps, in testing after last season’s finale.
“Even before the test, I understood that this was the bike and the place to fight for the championship,” said Marc, who starts the weekend with a huge 175-point title lead over Alex.
“And when I started working on the first test, I already understood the difference from the 23 bike to the 25. There were already some free tenths on the straight, that is important.
“And then the team was working in a very good way. And then we started to build everything. But before the test, I already understood that here was the place to be.”
If Marc outscores Alex by at least ten points this weekend, he will have his first title chance at the following Misano round.
Meanwhile, largely on the back of Marquez’s success, Ducati is set to wrap up the 2025 constructors’ crown this weekend.
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
