Ex-Marc Marquez ally pinpoints brutal blow which cost Pecco Bagnaia

The precise moment has been pinpointed where Marc Marquez signalled his authority inside the Ducati garage.

Stefan Bradl, who has fought tooth and nail with Marquez before becoming a trusted ally at Honda, noticed when Pecco Bagnaia was forced to accept a new status as second fiddle.

Bradl was in the Thailand paddock at the 2025 MotoGP season-opener when he saw Bagnaia relegated from his previous position as Ducati’s star man.

“I expected Marc to be at Pecco’s level from the start. The fact that he outclassed him so sharply came as a surprise,” Bradl told GPOne.

“Alex Marquez’s strength had already emerged during the winter tests, where Marc initially risked 90% and then showed off in the grand prix.

“For me it was clear. I was in Thailand as a TV commentator for ServusTV and I think Pecco’s confidence was already compromised after Saturday’s sprint.”

Marc Marquez 'aura' re-emerges

Marquez followed up sprint success in Thailand with the grand prix, then repeated the feat in Argentina. He has won all four races so far and leads the championship, while even Alex Marquez is ahead of Bagnaia.

Bagnaia has been forced to consider using the 2024 spec of Ducati in an attempt to inspire his season after two comprehensive losses to his teammate Marquez.

“In Buriram I felt for the first time in a while that special aura,” Bradl said.

“The aura of the invincible that Marc has exercised over himself for years at Honda and that is now also felt throughout the Ducati garage.

“With the media and the fans, he has that special something again.

“Pecco is already clearly No2.

“I find this situation exciting because MotoGP also needs this change right now.

“It’s great to have a superstar like him finally, after more than five years, back in the lead of the world championship and in the top positions.

“Jorge Martin is an exceptionally fast rider but he doesn’t have Marc’s special aura.”

This weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, MotoGP heads to a favourite track of Marquez’s.

It affords him a priceless opportunity to land a further blow on Bagnaia’s title hopes.

The observation from Bradl comes from a trusted confidant from Marquez’s heyday.

Bradl won the 2011 Moto2 title meaning only he and Jorge Lorenzo (in MotoGP in 2015) denied Marquez a championship in a 10-year spell.

Bradl became a Honda test rider in 2018, and remains in the role now, assisting the bike which was made for Marquez.

Marquez was often vocal in his praise for Bradl’s development work although the manufacturer went downhill and they lost their star man.

But Bradl has noticed the star power re-emerging from his old ally who now wears Ducati red.

This weekend in Texas, Marquez returns to the scene of many Honda victories hoping to further take control of the 2025 MotoGP season.