Marc Marquez has been unbeaten since the end of May. The Ducati factory driver dominated seven racing weekends in series and won the sprint and the Grand Prix each. It is no longer the question of whether he will be MotoGP world champion in 2025, but only when. Because the decision could be made soon.
If Marc Marquez collects ten World Cup points at his home race in Barcelona this weekend than his brother Alex, then he would have the first arithmetical chance in Misano next weekend to decide the World Cup before the Asia tour.
“I wish to have the match ball as soon as possible. But to be honest, I would rather like it in Japan or Indonesia,” says Marc Marquez, because: “If I have him in Misano, it means that my brother had a catalonies here in Catalonia.”
“If I stay concentrated, it is only a matter of time anyway. But in this case I would prefer a good weekend for my brother than the match ball in Misano.” Marc Marquez continues the ball to his brother.
Alex Marquez drove on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya at the post-Saison test at the end of November of the previous year. In principle, the younger of the two Spaniards tends to be somewhat better. So could a brother duel come back here?
“No pressure,” laughs Alex Marquez. “I will try. I’ll try, but … yes, Marc goes back to a strategy like in Mugello or Qatar by saying that someone else has to be faster than him.”
“He said to me: ‘I have already looked at the lap times of the test. You were really fast.’ Let’s see.
Why does Marc Marquez speak of a difficult route for him?
Before the start of the race weekend, Alex Marquez is convinced that Marc deliberately affects that he will not be a walk for him in Barcelona. And that is exactly what the seasonal dominator spoke on Thursday afternoon in the press conference.
“As every year, I know that I have to work a little harder here in Montmelo than on others to reach the top level,” said Marc Marquez. “That will be the goal for this weekend. But we come here in good shape.”
“It is true that this is one of my weakest routes in the calendar. But the fact that it is my home race always gives me additional motivation – both in the sprint and in the main race. There we will try to get the maximum possible points.”
Nevertheless, Marc Marquez’s success record in Barcelona is impressive. In 2014 and 2019 he won in the MotoGP. At his eleven starts on this route, he was on the podium eight times, and he also finished second in the sprint last year.
Then why, despite this balance sheet, speaks of a “difficult” route for him? “That is a good question,” replies the Catalan. “It is true that it was always a difficult route for me, even if it is close to my hometown.”
“But maybe it is the route on which I drove the least in my life. Because we used to go to Valencia, Albacete or Jerez in the past because the weather was a little better and the conditions for motorcycling were more suitable.”
“I don’t know exactly why this is. But it is true that I have even struggled a little more here since my arm injury.” However, Alex Marquez does not believe that his brother’s winning streak will end in Barcelona.
“After seven victories, of course, he has self-confidence. I am sure that he took a big step this year, especially in the fast right-hand bends. He loses less time there than, for example, at the beginning of the season,” says the Gresini driver.
“That’s why I think that he will be really fast here. And he is the one who – if he can – wants to win all races from now to the end of the season. So it will be hard, and for me he is the favorite for victory this weekend.”
In addition to his brother Alex in Barcelona, Marc Marquez also has his teammate Francesco Bagnaia on the bill, who won in the previous year, but also Aprilia. Aleix Espargaro won in Barcelona in 2023. “Let’s see if we can keep up with this top group,” says Marc Marquez before the start of the race weekend.