Marc Marquez: Pre-season ‘very important’ ahead of 2025 MotoGP engine freeze
“If you make a mistake in the engine design for 2025, you will also carry over the problems in 2026”
New factory Ducati rider Marc Marquez says his pre-season priority is to ensure the correct engine design is selected for the 2025 MotoGP season.
Ahead of the 2027 850cc technical rules, a two-year freeze on 1,000cc engine modifications will be enforced from the opening round of next season.
In other words, the engine spec homologated by Ducati, KTM and Aprilia at Buriram next February cannot be changed until the 2026 season finale.
Yamaha and Honda are currently exempt, due to their D concession ranking.
“This pre-season, above all, is very important because in 2025 and 2026 the engines will be the same,” Marquez said at an event for sponsor Estrella Galicia 0,0.
“If you make a mistake in the engine design for 2025, you will also carry over the problems in 2026, so it is very important.”
Marquez was fourth fastest, just behind new team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, on his factory Ducati debut at the recent Barcelona MotoGP Test.
“Compared to the 2023 bike [at Gresini], there was a leap [to the GP25] but we have to find out how it is on different tracks, but we always have 2025 in mind so that, as a Ducati team, we can take another step forward,” Marquez said.
The Spaniard must now wait until February to ride the GP25 again, at Sepang.
After three days of testing in Malaysia, then two at Buriram, engine design for the European manufacturers will be locked ahead of opening practice for the Thai Grand Prix on February 28.
“The months off can be long or short, it depends on how you approach it, but it's important to recover from the season, especially this last part with the Asian tour, and give the body a little rest,” said Marquez.
“Once we get to February, the [races are all] very close together. So [now] you have to rest, spend Christmas with family and friends and look for a holiday that, more than being a beautiful [place], must help you to disconnect.
“From January onwards, you really get into full pre-season mode and attack, in the sense of trying to prepare physically as well as possible.”
The eight-time world champion took his first grand prix wins since 2021 with victories at Aragon, Misano and Phillip Island this season, on his way to third in the world championship.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
