Marc Márquez puts fear into Valentino Rossi

BarcelonaThe MotoGP season has started this weekend with the general conviction that the title is a two-man race. Specifically, the official Ducati riders, Marc Márquez and Pecco Bagnaia. They have the best bike and have had a good pre-season. Márquez, who is aiming for his seventh premier class title. In Thailand, where the first Grand Prix of the season is being held, he said he had "butterflies in his stomach". A feeling he had not felt for many years. Five, at least, since he was seriously injured in 2020 on the Jerez circuit.

The staging in Buriram has confirmed the good predictions of Marc Márquez, who dominated free practice on Friday and this Saturday achieved pole position in Q2. The sprint race was reminiscent of the old days when the Cerverí had no rival. He kept the first position at the start and crossed the finish line alone, more than a second ahead of his brother Alex, who crashed the official Ducati team party. Third place went to Pecco Bagnaia

Marc Márquez, "in the right place with the right bike"

"This year I'm in the right place with the right bike to fight for the championship. That's what I think, at least. I'll give it my all," said Márquez, with his morale sky-high. The relationship with Honda ended in a flash and in 2024 he found refuge in the Gresini team, where he rode a Ducati for the first time. It wasn't the latest model, but it was enough for him to finish third in the championship. win three Sunday races, a sprint and a ten-time podium finish. The Ducati Lenovo team did not hesitate to hire him for 2025, even though this meant that Jorge Martín, who would end up being champion last season, would have to look for another team.

Márquez has a date with history because he can equal Valentino Rossi, the best rider in number of titles in the modern era. Il Dottore has nine crowns, seven in the premier class, one at 250 (current Moto2) and one at 125 (current Moto3). The Catalan rider has the 125, the Moto2 and six titles in MotoGP. The rivalry between the two is latent, especially since in 2015 they were involved in several incidents, including a kick from Rossi to Márquez that ended with the Cerverí on the ground. That year Rossi was aiming for the eighth title but between the quarrels and a sanction, the crown went to Jorge Lorenzo. Rossi has never forgiven him.

Pecco Bagnaia, the other great favorite to be world champion

In fact, Rossi was one of the most critical of Márquez's signing for the official Ducati team. In the paddock there is a certain consensus in saying that the Italian is nervous because he sees the wolf's ears. Márquez's teammate, Bagnaia, was precisely one of Il Dottore's disciples in the lower categories of the World Championship. Now he is flying solo, winning the 2022 and 2023 titles and had options last year until the last race. "I have a lot to learn from him. He will be one of the rivals to beat, he has had four very good years and the last ones have been impressive," said Márquez, who celebrated having adapted so quickly to the new team.

The third name to keep in mind is Jorge Martín, but the reigning champion will not be able to be in Thailand. Aprilia's new team leader missed a good part of the preseason due to a fractured hand in the first Sepang tests. He had recovered in time to start the competition, but this week he suffered a new fall and fractured his other hand. Hopefully he will be in Argentina in a fortnight, although not 100% and conditioned by a preseason in which he has not been able to accumulate many kilometers. Marco Bezzecchi, Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo, official riders for Aprilia, KTM and Yamaha, respectively, are other names to keep in mind, as well as that of Álex Márquez, who despite riding a satellite Ducati has made sufficiently competitive times to imagine him winning a race. On Friday, in fact, he was the fastest in practice and this Saturday he was second in the sprint. On the other hand, we will have to wait to see Joan Mir fighting for the podium. The 2020 champion is on the official Honda team, a brand that has gone through a long time in the past. from dominating everything to being the worst bike on the gridThe Japanese team is on the rise, but still far from the best.