Marc Marquez’s season has been the subject of much debate on the latest episode of the MotoGP podcast. While he has yet to secure his first win on a Ducati, his performance has been impressive enough to earn a promotion to the manufacturer’s official team next year.
Currently sitting third in the championship after nine of 20 rounds, Marquez trails leader Pecco Bagnaia by 56 points. More importantly, his spirits have lifted significantly after a challenging period with Repsol Honda ended last year.
“He hasn’t got that grand prix win,” remarked Jordan Moreland. “I could have given him an 8, but it’s an 8.5 for the comeback rides. He started 13th and 14th and finished on the grand prix podium. The rides were incredible.
“The resurgence of his form has been great to see. He’s got the factory Ducati ride next year, which goes into it. But the grand prix win still eludes him. He’ll be disappointed he didn’t win at the Sachsenring. It was an up-and
-down weekend. In the grand prix at COTA he had issues, and in the sprint at Jerez he had issues with damp patches. A lot of little things but it’s a great season, so far, for Marquez.”
Peter McLaren rated Marquez an 8 out of 10, describing his season so far as “mission accomplished.” He added, “He went to Gresini wanting to restart his career, and see if he still enjoys racing, see if he still has what it takes. Undoubtedly, he has. He’s got the factory Ducati deal done already. What a half of the year. Just a win is missing, that’s the only thing. But look at where he is compared to the other guys on the same bike. Anywhere between 8 and 9 would be a fair grade.”
Robert Jones also rated Marquez an 8 out of 10, saying, “I think he’s been tremendous. We sometimes get caught up with such high-end sports stars like a Marc Marquez and just think the change from Honda to Ducati would be nothing to someone like him. But with the amount of time he spent on a Honda it is a very big thing to overcome and the way he has adjusted to the Ducati, even when he had a long way to go in his adaptation process, fighting with the likes of Martin and Bagnaia from the get-go, I think he’s been brilliant.”
Jones highlighted the missed opportunities for Marquez to win, specifically mentioning Jerez, Le Mans, and Sachsenring, where he had the pace but couldn’t clinch victory. Despite this, Jones praised Marquez’s comeback rides and adaptation to a new bike, noting his consistent performance compared to other riders on the GP23.
Overall, the consensus among the podcast panelists is that Marquez has had a very good season. His transition from Honda to Ducati has been impressive, and while he has yet to secure a grand prix win, his performances have validated Ducati’s decision to partner him with Bagnaia next season. The panelists remain optimistic that a win is on the horizon for Marquez this season.
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