Marc Marquez: “Ducati and the team need to take a step forward”

Defending champion Marc Marquez (Ducati) and Jorge Martin (Aprilia) are level on 273 points at the top of the World Championship ahead of this coming weekend’s MotoGP races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Marquez has staged a remarkable comeback: at the end of May, he was a seemingly insurmountable 102 points behind the then championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), who is now down to third place. Whilst Bezzecchi has repeatedly made serious mistakes in crucial situations – at the Misano Grand Prix, for instance, he crashed on the very first lap whilst leading – Marc is riding to the best of his ability and, despite a battered right arm, is picking up whatever points he can. He has significantly reduced his error rate compared to earlier days, when he rarely paid attention to the limit.

The Red Bull Ring suits Ducati

Ten of the twelve Grands Prix at the Red Bull Ring have been won by a Ducati rider; last year, Marc Marquez triumphed, also bagging victory in the sprint race. In the past four events, the seven-time MotoGP champion has secured three one-two finishes, and his form is on the up. Are victories also possible in Styria? “Normally, the Ducati performs very well on this circuit,” Marc reflected. “I really enjoyed it here last year, but that was the case for me on many circuits back then.”

“We’re in a new, but ultimately similar, situation,” said “MM93”, trying to put his first-ever World Championship lead this season into words. “Whether I’m leading the championship or a few points behind doesn’t change much – my approach is the same. It looks as though we need to take a step forward with the Ducati and the team; we’ve made a few minor changes and I’m feeling better and better. Let’s see if we can deliver another top performance this weekend.”

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18.09.2026 - 08:55