Marquez: "Keeping focused will not be easy" as pressure mounts at home GP

Marc Marquez returns to Jerez this weekend after a commanding start to the 2025 MotoGP season. With the Spanish MotoGP being his home race, the pressure is mounting to maintain his current momentum in front of the Spanish crowds. 

Marquez has been at the top of his game so far this season, with four sprint and three Grand Prix wins to his name in 2025. He currently leads the riders' standings by 17 points, with his brother Alex Marquez sat in second.

"Obviously racing on a Spanish circuit has a special flavor," Marc began, "but in the end it's still a GP. I know there will be a lot of spectators and obviously they will be cheering for the Spanish as well. I have the experience to handle a weekend like this and to get a good performance on the track, because it will be a busy weekend so keeping focused will not be easy.

"We are coming to a circuit that is radically different from the ones we have raced at in the past few weeks. Pecco has won here in recent years so I know he will be one of the main contenders I will have to deal with."

The Spanish Grand Prix was where the rider almost ended his career after a crash resulted in a serious arm injury in 2020. Fortunately, he returned to racing in 2021.

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing, Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

After six titles with Honda but an ever-declining bike, Marquez decided to move to Gresini Ducati in 2024, which bore fruit of three Grand Prix wins and a P3 finish in the world championship.This year, he moved to the factory Ducati team. Marquez was asked about the difference between his machinery compared to last year.

"The difference is big compared to the GP24.5, because of my riding style that relies a lot on corner entry. In that aspect with the GP23 I was very limited, while with the current one the feeling is very good. So good that they keep improving and I have a hard time seeing the limit of the bike.

"With the 2023 I was crashing a lot with the new tires, now even from that point of view the sensations are better. I'm really curious to see how the bike will perform at a different circuit from the previous ones, like here in Jerez."

Last year saw Marquez grab his first podium as a Ducati rider at the Spanish Grand Prix.

His current level of performance is unsettlingly high, but he doesn't believe he's riding any better than he was riding with Honda.

"No, my level on the Honda was incredible, as was my feeling and physical condition. Now I simply feel different, it's not a matter of better or worse. I am fast but it is still difficult to understand the limit.

"On the Honda I raced for years, I was familiar with its limits and where I could improve, while with the Ducati I keep discovering new areas where I can improve, like what happened in Qatar regarding right-hand turns."

Could Ducati win every race this season?

"Why not? Ducati has the best bike on the grid, it has proven to be competitive at every track and in every condition. But as we saw in Qatar, there are still opponents, as Vinales showed with the KTM, so it will be important for Ducati to continue working in this direction."

His brother, Alex, has finished second seven times so far this season, and the duo aren't looking to slow down.