Why MotoGP riders miss having Marc Marquez on the grid

Marco Bezzecchi has explained why he feels “it’s a shame” not to have Marc Marquez competing at the MotoGP finale in Valencia, despite having a better chance of victory without the 2025 world champion in action.

This weekend, Marquez will visit a MotoGP paddock for the first time since the accident that ended his season early at the Indonesian Grand Prix. But the injured factory Ducati rider will only be in Valencia as a spectator – once again leaving the door open for others to win.

Nonetheless, rivals such as Bezzecchi, Pedro Acosta and Marc’s brother Alex Marquez say they would prefer the 32-year-old to be out on track, providing the field with its usual benchmark.

Bezzecchi, who caused Marc’s accident by running into him from behind at Mandalika, claimed one of the three subsequent races by winning in Portugal last weekend. Alex won the previous race in Malaysia, while Acosta still needs to break his MotoGP duck. The third rider to win in Marc’s absence thus far is Raul Fernandez, who triumphed at the Australian Grand Prix aboard his Trackhouse Aprilia.

But all of them were in agreement that they would rather he join them on the track at Valencia.

“Marc always puts the level super high,” said factory Aprilia rider Bezzecchi. “Overall, at every track, he’s able to be super competitive. And Valencia is one of the tracks where he’s historically been super, super fast.

“So let’s say that there is maybe one less very strong rival, for sure, during the race. [But] it’s a shame, because when he’s here, okay, it’s more difficult, of course… but this also pushes you to try to [do] better and better.”

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Patricia De Melo Moreira / AFP via Getty Images

KTM’s Acosta wasn’t convinced Marquez would help him extract more performance, but said a certain fun factor was missing.

“I think every one of us always pushes to 100% of what we have, [whether or not] Marc is there," said Acosta. "It’s true that it’s not as fun when the champion is not on track, but I think it doesn’t matter, really, because I think we always push to our 100%.”

While it is a given that Alex (Gresini Ducati) wants his brother to return to good health as soon as possible, the younger Marquez said Marc’s absence led him to recalibrate – in a good way.

“For the whole season, you have a reference," he said. "And then that reference disappears. This year it’s quite interesting to see, but it’s something that motivates me to be the reference, to be the guy that puts the limit on the track and all that.

“So yeah, [Marc being away] changed quite a lot, but it’s something that I accept much better this year compared to a few years ago.”