Marquez Shifts Focusโ to 2026 Preparation, โDeclines involvement in Bagnaia-Marquez Championship Battle
Marc Marquez is prioritizing โขa safe and โconsistent finish to the 2024 MotoGP season as heโฃ builds towards the 2026 campaign, stating he โค”feel[s] that I have to finishโค the year โคwithout hurting me.” The Ducati rider, speaking after the Japanese Grand โPrix, revealed a change in mindset from previousโ years whereโ he’dโ focus on maximizing โwins afterโ securing a title.โ “In the past I thoughtโ ‘I have alreadyโ conquered the โtitle,โ now โฃI will try to win as much races possible,'” Marquezโข explained.”nowโ ratherโฆ I no longer want to put pressure on me,โค Iโ have already hadโ enough in recent years.”
Marquez emphasized a data-gathering approach for โฃtheโ remaining races,โ aimingโค to betterโข understand adjustments madeโฃ throughout the year. โข”Weโ must โstudy and understandโ the things that have been โtried during โฃtheโ yearโฆ it is better to start already on the race weekends on different circuits,” he said,โ clarifying this wouldn’t involveโ constant bike changesโข but “small but concreteโ things” toโข prepare โfor the final test โขin Valencia and subsequent improvements โขfor the 2025 season.
Regarding the battle for second place inโ the championship between teammate Pecco Bagnaia andโค hisโ brother, Alex marquez (Gresini โRacing), the #93 โคrider asserted he wouldโข remainโค neutral. “I won’t get to intake in this matter,”โ Marquez stated. “Everyoneโ will do โtheir jobโฆ I will give 100% and if I have to manage the situationโฆ I will do it only to get the maximum result forโ myself.” He believesโ Alex possesses โฃthe speed to secure theโ position โindependently, adding, “Having โsaid that, the โnormal thing wouldโฃ be that Pecco is secondโ in the championship five โฃraces โขfrom theโข end.” โขMarquez also noted that if Alex were to finish third overall with the Gresini team, it would equal his own 2024 result with a satellite team โand a previous-year โmotorcycle.
