Marquez: Yamaha, not Ducati, now biggest threat
MotoGP points leader Marc Marquez reckons that the Yamahas of Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo will be the "riders to beat" in the second half of the season, not the Ducatis.

Since 2017, Andrea Dovizioso has been Marquez's main rival, with the Italian ending up as runner-up in the championship for two years in a row.
He is again second in the standings nine races into the 2019 season, with teammate Danilo Petrucci lies only six points further back in third.
But while both Ducatis have struggled in recent rounds, Yamaha has found strong form with Vinales finishing first at Assen and second at the Sachsenring, and Quartararo scoring two pole positions.
Marquez said that the Barcelona race, where Jorge Lorenzo wiped out Dovizioso, Vinales and Valentino Rossi in one crash and handed his teammate an easy win, changed the championship.
"Until Montmelo it was one championship, now from Montmelo to here it’s another championship," he said. "We have two [wins worth of points] between me and Dovi.
"Of course, Ducati will come back and they will be very fast, but at the moment the riders to beat are both Yamahas, Vinales and Quartararo, I think they will be the fastest in the second part of the championship."
Read Also:
Petrucci agreed that Vinales is now a "problem" in terms of the championship.
"I am happy about my situation in the championship because I am P3 and I gain some point from Rins that is fourth, but he crashed," said the Ducati rider.
"Now the problem is Maverick that is gaining some points but for fight with these guys we need something more.
"I want to work more not because I need, but because this makes me more hungry for the rest of the season, give me more motivation because I want to finish in the top three position.
"It is very hard at the moment but I think we have to believe and especially at home they have to work and believe that still everything is possible."
The second part of the season will begin with Brno and the Red Bull Ring, two tracks where Petrucci believes Ducati should perform better.
However, he pointed out that Marquez was only beaten by a very small margin at both Qatar and Mugello, two tracks where Ducati has historically held an edge over Honda.
"For sure these two tracks are a little bit better compared to the past two we had," Petrucci added.
"Marc this year made a bigger step compared to us, we fought hard with him in Qatar and Mugello where always been two Ducati tracks and the next two are the same, two Ducati tracks.
"But in Qatar and Mugello we won by thousandths. We need to give all for trying to keep the championship open."

Previous article
Honda's Puig hits back at Ducati after Marquez comments
Next article
Ricciardo: MotoGP will "kick up a fuss" over Silverstone bumps

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Event | German GP |
Drivers | Danilo Petrucci , Marc Marquez |
Teams | Ducati Team , Repsol Honda Team |
Author | David Gruz |
Marquez: Yamaha, not Ducati, now biggest threat
Trending
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title