‘My biggest rival is…’ - Marc Marquez outlines his biggest concern in MotoGP title fight
Marc Marquez has outlined what his biggest concern is in the 2026 MotoGP title battle
Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez says his biggest concern in the 2026 title battle “is my physical condition” rather than any one rival.
The Ducati rider’s title hopes looked over after the Italian Grand Prix, where he was 102 points adrift in what was an injury-plagued start to the campaign.
But since winning in Hungary, Marc Marquez has capitalised on the misfortune for erstwhile championship leader Marco Bezzecchi to close that gap down to 40 points ahead of this weekend’s German Grand Prix.
Just 63 points cover the top eight in the standings right now, but there isn’t one rider Marquez considers to be his biggest concern in the 2026 title chase.
“My biggest rival, or what I’m more worried about, is my physical condition,” he said on Thursday at the Sachsenring.
“The rest I don’t care. It’s true that they are super-fast, but this is my main opponent: to continue in the next races growing my level.”
He added: “It’s true that Assen was one mentality; here is a different mentality, starting from FP1, and trying to understand where the level is. But I would like to fight for the podium.”
“I’m in the game again”
Marquez has won the German Grand Prix nine times in his MotoGP career.
Even with the physical condition of his right shoulder still below par, the anticlockwise layout of Sachsenring makes Marquez the overwhelming favourite for victory this weekend.
Commenting on this, Marquez said: “It’s true that when you arrive in this kind of circuit, if you achieve [strong results], [people say], ‘OK, it was his circuit’.
“If you don’t achieve, it’s a disaster. I’m able to deal with that and try to do our 100%.
“It’s true that there are three, four riders in front of me [in the standings], but especially three riders who are riding very fast, which are Bezzecchi, [Jorge] Martin and [Fabio] Di Giannantonio.
“And I continue with my mentality; it was over three races ago. I’m in the game again, so let’s see if here we can do a great weekend.”
Marquez was also asked on Thursday if he would rather never win a championship again but keep winning races, or win the next three world titles without a single victory.
“Title is title,” he responded.
“I mean, victories are victories, but I choose the title of course.
“But it will not happen, don’t worry. Three in a row - I’m not a superman. I’m OK; I’m good, but I’m not Superman.”
