Marc Marquez reveals the moment he was “most nervous” in MotoGP

Seven-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez says he was the “most nervous” in his career when he tested the Ducati for the first time in 2023.

The 33-year-old had spent the majority of his MotoGP career with Honda, joining the brand for his debut in 2013 and winning six world titles on the RC213V.

However, in the wake of his serious arm injury in 2020, declining form from Honda prompted Marc Marquez to look elsewhere on the grid and signed a deal to join Gresini to ride a year-old Ducati for the 2024 season.

Marquez made his debut on the bike at the post-season Valencia test at the end of 2023, which he says was when he was at his “most nervous” on the Imagin podcast.

“The day I was most nervous was when I tested the Ducati in Valencia; it was more due to the pressure,” he said.

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“People already know who Marc Marquez is. More than nerves, it was the pressure of not knowing if I was going to be fast on that bike or not.

“I kept asking if I’d be able to ride a Ducati, and the engineers told me I was stupid.”

Marquez ultimately won three grands prix in 2024, marking his first since 2021, while also strongarming his way into Ducati’s factory team for 2025.

He dominated the 2025 campaign with 11 victories to secure a seventh MotoGP title.

What Marc Marquez’s first Ducati test was like on the ground

The 2023 Valencia test had an anticipation around it that almost entirely muted the championship duel between Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin that unfolded during the grand prix weekend.

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Marquez’s bombshell move from Honda to effectively ride for free on a year-old satellite Ducati was a monumental moment.

Honda at this point was hitting its nadir and 2023 had been bruising for Marquez. While it was easy at the time to consider a move to a Ducati, even on an old bike, as a surefire path back to the top of the podium for Marquez, it was anything but. Had that move not worked out, Marquez’s career was likely over.

It was a cold morning at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, but that didn’t deter any of the swell of media who’d stuck around for the test as we clambered for the ideal spot to get the best first picture.

Those first laps were a hugely significant moment in modern MotoGP history: Marc Marquez on something other than a Honda. At one stage of the day, Marquez went fastest and the cheers in the media centre could have fooled anyone into thinking he’d just won the championship.

He would finish that day fourth. He was kept well away from the media, while Gresini boss Michele Masini was limited in what he was actually allowed to say to us.

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But it was clear that the day had been a rousing success for both rider and team.

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