Marc Marquez has been making encouraging progress for the last year, and it feels as if his time to return to the top may be on the horizon.
Next year he will have what is likely to be the best bike on the grid with Ducati’s GP25, and he has adjusted to the new machinery well after making a move from Honda for this season.
New MotoGP champion Jorge Martin will move to Aprilia Racing to replace the retiring Aleix Esparago – which is significant for a few reasons.
But, mainly because it’s expected that he won’t be as quick anymore, and that could open a few more doors for Marquez.
Marc Marquez keen to take the ‘last step’
While Marquez has come a remarkably long way and fought through adversity to get back to the front, there was still a gap between him and the top two in the standings.
There’s a little more to find before he can consider himself a true championship contender, but his move to the factory Ducati outfit for 2025 should assist him.
Partnering Francesco Bagnaia should help him set his bike up a bit better, and assist him in learning about what his weaknesses are.
READ MORE: How Jorge Martin was ‘completely shocked’ after winning his first MotoGP championship in Barcelona
Speaking to the MotoGP YouTube channel, he mentioned how confidence is one of the last things to crack before he can challenge for a title.
“I think we need to keep going. I think we still have this last step. Of course, my confidence is super high, but in some situations, I’m struggling a bit.
“But that situation with more confidence, I think I will struggle less. Let’s see if we can continue working that way.”
How Marquez’s performance trend is very positive
Taking a look at the results of the 2024 season, it’s clear to see that Marquez is trending in the right direction for a championship charge.
He retired just twice, took three wins and seven more podiums on his way to third in the championship, over 100 points behind Martin and Pecco at the front.
Three finishes outside the top 10 were killers for him and is an area to work on in the future – finding a way to consistently finish inside the top four or five bikes every weekend.
That could be a case of confidence as he mentioned, that even when he is struggling, he can churn out a good result.
With a year on a Ducati bike under his belt, watch out for Marquez in 2025, because he might just start to come into his own…