‘I have to fight for the title’

Marc Marquez has admitted that he should battle 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 staff in 2025 after ending a 1,000-day barren streak and profitable three races with Gresini Racing on a year-old Ducati.

It locations him in an identical state of affairs to what he confronted in 2013 when he made his extremely 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 was plenty of strain on him to reside 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“And now, nearly 32 years outdated, you are real looking about what MotoGP is, what being in a manufacturing facility staff means, and what it means to be within the main staff of the second. 

“You discover it rather more, however clearly, in 2013 it was all overwhelming, every little thing 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 staff entails, he replied: “It entails combating for a title. In the long run, whenever you and the main manufacturing facility of the second wager on you, you have got this strain to attempt to battle for a title. 

“I’ve stated it, the principle goal is to be within the high three, however why? As a result of in the event you’re within the high three, it means you have fought for the title, however clearly being on this staff comes with that strain that you simply then need to handle and logically deliver as many factors as doable dwelling.”

Marquez managed to beat 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 stated ending inside the highest three within the championship needs to be his predominant goal once more this 12 months, regardless 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 predominant goal,” he stated. “In fact we’ll attempt to preserve the concentrate on the title, however the principle goal is high three.”

Bagnaia was requested if he noticed himself and Marquez being the principle 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 find yourself carrying the crimson jersey, the leather-based, he is aware of…”, just for Marquez to interrupt and add: “…that you must problem – if not, one other [rider] will take your bike.”