Former MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo believes Marc Marquez is still grappling with the effects of his severe arm injury from 2020, yet remains confident that the six-time champion can secure another premier class title.
Now a TV pundit for DAZN, Lorenzo, who claimed three MotoGP championships himself, has observed that Marquez continues to be hampered by the arm injury sustained in a dramatic crash at the Spanish Grand Prix four years ago. Marquez’s injury, which occurred during the delayed 2020 season opener, led to a long and grueling recovery process, requiring four surgeries over two years before the Honda rider could return to full fitness.
Though Marquez has regained his form and is competing at a high level once again, Lorenzo asserts that the lingering effects of the injury are still evident in his riding. “In some braking zones, you can see that the injury is weighing him down,” Lorenzo remarked to DAZN. “All this added together means that a champion like Marc Marquez, with supposedly the best bike—even if it’s not the new one—is still not winning races.”
In 2024, a move to the Gresini team on a year-old Ducati has revitalized Marquez’s career, allowing him to challenge near the front of the pack. Following the recent Austrian Grand Prix, Marquez is fourth in the championship standings with 192 points, having secured four podium finishes this season. However, a victory has remained elusive, with the 2024 season dominated by Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin on the latest-spec Ducati GP24.
Lorenzo is uncertain whether Marquez would be leading the title race if he were on the same bike as Bagnaia or Martin, but he acknowledges Marquez’s continued competitive spirit. “Maybe he would have won with the 2024 bike. Is it possible that he would be leading the world championship? I don’t know,” Lorenzo said.
Reflecting on Marquez’s dominance before the injury, Lorenzo noted, “He was so far ahead of his rivals on a technical level in 2019—far superior to many. Not only in terms of titles but also on a technical and physical level.”
Marquez’s move to Ducati in 2025 will see him directly competing against Bagnaia, who has emerged as the rider to beat in MotoGP. While Bagnaia has solidified his status as a top contender, Lorenzo believes Marquez still has what it takes to win another championship and match Valentino Rossi’s record of premier class titles.
“That injury in Jerez 2020 is weighing him down physically,” Lorenzo admitted. “[But] we have seen great champions, like Mick Doohan, win four world championships with practically one and a half legs. I don’t think we’ve seen Marc Marquez’s last title yet, possibly, but it’s not going to be easy for him to win a championship again because he has two young riders in front of him.”
Lorenzo concluded by acknowledging the formidable competition Marquez faces: “Now Jorge Martin is going to Aprilia, but he has Pecco Bagnaia, who is younger than him, very fast, and almost perfect.” Despite these challenges, Lorenzo’s faith in Marquez’s ability to secure another title remains unshaken.
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