Marquez on the pressure of a factory Ducati ride: ‘I have to fight for the title’

Marc Marquez has admitted that he should struggle for the 2025 MotoGP title as he joins the manufacturing facility Ducati team to companion Francesco Bagnaia.

The Spaniard is stepping as much as MotoGP’s benchmark workforce in 2025 after ending a 1,000-day barren streak and successful three races with Gresini Racing on a year-old Ducati.

It locations him in the same state of affairs to what he confronted in 2013 when he made his highly-anticipated MotoGP debut as a fresh-faced 20-year-old rookie.

Whereas the six-time champion is much more cautious about setting targets this time round, he acknowledged that there’s a lot of stress on him to stay as much as the expectations.

“In 2013 it wasn’t real looking, I wasn’t conscious of the place I used to be,” he said during Monday’s 2025 bike launch.

“And now, virtually 32 years previous, you are real looking about what MotoGP is, what being in a manufacturing facility workforce means, and what it means to be within the main workforce of the second. 

“You discover it way more, however clearly, in 2013 it was all overwhelming, all the things was a present. Now I nonetheless have butterflies in my abdomen, however I am very real looking about what carrying these colors entails.”

Requested what being in a manufacturing facility workforce entails, he replied: “It entails combating for a title. In the long run, once you and the main manufacturing facility of the second guess on you, you’ve got this stress to attempt to struggle for a title. 

“I’ve mentioned it, the primary goal is to be within the high three, however why? As a result of for those who’re within the high three, it means you’ve got fought for the title, however clearly being on this workforce comes with that stress that you simply then must handle and logically carry as many factors as attainable residence.”

Marquez managed to beat Enea Bastianini to 3rd within the 2024 standings with Gresini regardless of being on a year-old Ducati and never having a manufacturing facility round him.

He mentioned ending contained in the top-three within the championship needs to be his essential goal once more this yr, despite the fact that his eyes are set on a seventh premier class title so as to add to the six he achieved at Honda between 2013-19.

“Attempt to be within the high three on the finish of the championship, that would be the essential goal,” he mentioned. “In fact we’ll attempt to hold the give attention to the title, however the primary goal is high three.”

Bagnaia was requested if he sees himself and Marquez being the primary contenders for the 2025 title in response to Marquez’s feedback {that a} top-three end would suffice.

The 2-time champion started by saying that “When you’re carrying the crimson jersey, the leather-based, he is aware of…”, just for Marquez to interrupt and add: “…it’s good to problem, if not one other one [rider] will take your bike.”