Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 16:03
Last event of the year for Marc Márquez with one of his long-time sponsors, Estrella Galicia, and with whom he hopes to continue his new journey with the official Ducati team. A press conference in which the Cervera driver was relaxed, now past the whirlwind of the championship, and in which he even dared to answer anonymous questions taken from a ballot box. In fact, he did not avoid one of the topics of the moment either, the controversy that arose around Jorge Martín’s failed interview with David Broncano and all the noise generated around it.
To the direct question of whether Marc Márquez is more from La Revuelta or El Hormiguero, the Catalan driver responded with diplomacy and many tables: «When programs of that caliber call you, it is a good sign. It is logical that they raffle off the champion and that everyone wants to have him on their programs. I have been to Hormiguero many times and I have good friends there, but I also really like the Revuelta. Which one would you go to tonight? It’s good on the couch at home. This is not the time to go to a program. It is time to give prominence to the champion. There are many times when the pilot cannot do these things, he must have a team to manage these issues. When these things happen, it is not his responsibility.
Beyond these issues, the press conference revolved around sports. Márquez took stock of the season of rebirth as a driver. A year that, in importance, was on par with some seasons where he was champion: «This year the title was not won this year, but I have gained much more on a personal level, such as extending my sporting career and not doubting myself. continue or not with her, something that was going through my mind before. I have found positive and good answers.
Reviewing what he experienced in this 2024 savior, the driver from Ilerda was asked to keep a specific moment and, at the same time, if he had anything left to do: «At the level of sensations, I’ll stick with the first test in Valencia a year ago, because I was able to try a different MotoGP ten years later and it was the biggest kick I’ve had this year. Then I leave with two other important moments: the podium in Jerez and the victory in Aragón. It wasn’t an obsession to win, but I pursued it all year. On the other hand, I can safely say that I have done everything I had written down in my notebook. There are those who may say: ‘And you weren’t aiming to be champion?’. No, it was realistic after four years without winning the title.
Another of the big questions that arose when the best version of Marc Márquez was seen is whether he would have been able to challenge Martín and Bagnaia for the title if he had ridden the same motorcycle. It must be remembered that the Spaniard competed the entire course with a version of the 2023 Ducati, less competitive than the 2024 Ducati of his rivals. «I think I wouldn’t have won either, because it didn’t come at the best time to fight for a title and Jorge and Pecco have had a great year. Maybe it would have been closer in terms of points, but I wouldn’t have won it.
EThe best team and the best motorcycle
After closing the season in Barcelona, Márquez completed his first test with the official Ducati team last Tuesday, where the Cervera rider tested the first prototype of the 2025 motorcycle and also confirmed why the Italian brand is now the MotoGP reference: «The Competition and life is action-reaction and at Ducati they are clear about it. On Wednesday I already had calls on the phone telling me ‘we are going to take this path’. “That’s something I haven’t experienced until now.”
Looking ahead to next season, the Catalan rider is aware that the objective has to be to recover the motorcycling crown six years later, but what he does not contemplate is a scenario where he will sweep: «I am in the best team and with the best motorcycle . I have the best possible tools and it is in my hands to fight it. I read that I am going to destroy the official Ducati, but we are in MotoGP and my teammate has won 11 races out of 20, and has come second. Furthermore, in sport you don’t live from the past, you live from the present and you come out young. It’s not going to be a World Cup between Bagnaia and me. There is Acosta, you have to see Martín with the Aprilia, Viñales with the KTM… It is difficult to win a World Championship.
And although Marc Márquez himself sees himself among the candidates, he prefers to be cautious when making a bet between the favorites for the title in 2025: «I will tell you that before starting the championship in Thailand, because in the preseason it is already seen who will be the favorites. “I can tell you names that will be in front, but who is going to win it… I hope and wish that my name is there.”
