“Respect is not earned with microphones”, Márquez is very clear about where to speak
The Ducati rider and current leader of the MotoGP World Championship, Marc Márquez, reflects on his way of competing, his relationship with his rivals, and how his riding and mentality have evolved over the last few years.
If we have to think of an aggressive rider on the track, without a doubt Marc Márquez is one of them. He has never been afraid to attempt overtaking, even in seemingly impossible circumstances. Something that has ended up generating disappointments and various controversies throughout his professional career, especially in MotoGP.
But the current Marc Márquez is somewhat different. Equally incisive and ambitious, but also more reflective and mature. And that is due to a change in mentality as a result of experiences that in recent years have not been particularly pleasant.
“Now, with aerodynamics, it is really uncomfortable to ride behind someone”
A ‘new’ Marc Márquez
The return of Marc Márquez to an official team is practically perfect. So far this season, the Catalan rider has won eight of the 12 Grands Prix held, including 11 Sprint races. That is, almost 80% of victories in a 2025 season in which he leads by no less than 120 points over the second-placed, his brother Álex.
And this, in addition to an overwhelming superiority in terms of speed and pace, suggests something else: a more mature and intelligent approach to taking risks. “Now I am a little calmer. I think things a little more, just a little!” jokes the Ducati rider.
“Obviously, you change between 20 and 30. But when you go through what I have been through [injury], you reflect more before making decisions in the heat of the moment, especially on the track,” admits Márquez.
Total respect for his rivals
With such an advantage in the championship, one might think that Marc Márquez considers the title won. And it is true that he recently admitted that he can only lose it himself, but that does not mean he will lose respect for his rivals.
For that reason, the 32-year-old rider refuses to ‘schedule’ the celebration of the title. “I’m not going to say where or when I want to achieve the title. Honestly, I approach the last 10 races of the season after the summer break with the mentality that I am the only one who can lose this championship.”
“So, if we have to manage things, we will. But if we can win, we will go for it,” he continues. “Out of respect for my rivals, who are all fast, I will not respond to that”.
In a MotoGP that is as technologically complex as the current one, especially considering the exponential growth of aerodynamics, Márquez takes nothing for granted and prefers to be cautious. “In Brno, I didn’t feel comfortable behind Bezzecchi. In the old MotoGP, you could follow a rider more easily. But now, with aerodynamics, it is really uncomfortable to ride behind someone. That’s why everyone wants to be in front.”
“Look at Pecco [Bagnaia], he couldn’t pass Acosta. And I struggled to overtake Bezzecchi. I managed it because I had half a second of margin. I will strive to keep it that way, without playing. If you play, sometimes you get burned,” he reiterates.
The mental game
In elite sports, the psychological aspect is key, even decisive on many occasions. Marc Márquez is very aware of this and, although he is clear that he must respect his rivals to not lose concentration or direction, he does not shy away from the mental battle with his opponents.
“As a rider, that’s what you seek: for your rivals to arrive at the race mentally defeated,” reveals the rider from Cervera. “But that is very difficult to achieve. As an athlete, what you really seek is to keep earning their… I wouldn’t say fear, but respect. And that is not earned with microphones, it is earned during training and races, always being in front.”
If that is true, which it certainly is, Marc Márquez can no longer do more to earn the respect of his rivals.
* This news is an AI translation of the original content. Motenic.com is part of Motor.es.
Fuente: Motorsport.com