Marc Marquez reveals five-rider list for MotoGP 2025 title contenders

Factory Ducati rider Marc Marquez has identified four other riders he thinks could be MotoGP title contenders in 2025.

Eight-time World Champion Marquez, especially having joined the recently dominant Ducati Lenovo Team in 2025, is of course among the favourites to win this year’s championship ahead of the opening round in Thailand.

But the Spaniard also has a list of riders he thinks could contend this year.

“I will not say,” Marquez said when asked on MotoGP.com’s After the Flag show at the Buriram test who will be MotoGP World Champion this year.

“Of course, we will try to fight for it, but I know that I have a very strong teammate [Francesco Bagnaia]; I have a very strong housemate, my brother Alex [Marquez] that he was super-fast during all the preseason and today also he finished second.

“There will be different opponents that can be [Pedro] Acosta; we will see how [Jorge] Martin can be with Aprilia – don’t forget Martin, he’s a very good rider and [Marco] Bezzecchi shows that the Aprilia is working well.

“So, [we will] try to do our job in our garage, and let’s see what we can do.”

While he was unwilling to put himself forward as the clear favourite for the title, Marquez’s race simulation on Thursday was clear evidence that he will be the rider to beat in Thailand at the beginning of March.

“Of course, the race weekend is different,” Marquez said. “But that race simulation is one of the most important points because I was thinking to test my physical condition, to try also this new bike, the 2024, in a race simulation.

“I was calm, I was smooth, no mistakes – of course, the tyres were dropping, but in a constant way, so I was able to manage.”

Ultimately, it has been a strong preseason for Ducati and for Marquez in particular, who was fastest on both days in Buriram this week.

“ It has been a very good preseason, especially because we started already in a very good way from the first day in Malaysia,” he said.

“Then we keep working, we try many things on the bike, and everything we had on the list – Sprint simulation, race simulation – was done.

“So, the most important is also about the technical aspects; it’s quite clear what we need, still there are some new items that I need to understand well. But I’m happy, and now looking forward to starting the season.”