Marc Marquez looks almost guaranteed to win his seventh MotoGP title in 2025. With 10 races remaining, the Spaniard holds a commanding 120-point lead over the field.
With eight Grand Prix wins and 11 Sprint victories, the Ducati rider has been almost unstoppable this season. His eye-watering advantage in the championship would have been even more vast had it not been for crashes in Austin and Jerez.
Besides a couple of accidents in some practice sessions, Marquez has tidied up his act and looks back to his old self on the Desmosedici GP25. Neil Hodgson is ‘struggling’ to watch Marquez in 2025 because of how easily he appears to be riding the bike compared to his time at Honda.
Brother Alex Marquez has admitted defeat in the hunt for the championship, claiming that finishing second would be ‘magical’. He is battling Marc Marquez’s teammate Francesco Bagnaia for the runner-up spot, who is 168 points behind the 32-year-old at the top.
Alex Marquez and Bagnaia have just one win each thus far, as they have struggled to keep up with the Ant of Cerveza, despite having consistent podium finishes. The pair could offer Marquez Sr a challenge in the second half of the season, but Carlo Pernat suspects he fears one other rival.
Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty ImagesCarlo Pernat claims Marc Marquez is ‘only afraid’ of Marco Bezzecchi in 2025
Aprilia emerged as the main contender to challenge Ducati and Marquez before the summer break. Despite having Jorge Martin out injured for most of the season, the Noale outfit have made huge strides forward thanks to Marco Bezzecchi.
The Italian collected his fourth win in MotoGP at Silverstone and finished second in Assen and Brno after challenging Marquez for victory. He was leading in Czechia, but Hodgson saw the moment Bezzecchi knew Marquez would beat him when he set the fastest lap of the race.
With his current form, Bezzecchi has emerged as the 32-year-old closest competitor. Speaking via the #ZamTube YouTube channel, Pernat claims the Aprilia rider is the only rival Marquez is afraid of.
“Marco made a leap forward mentally, that is, from the misfortune of not having a world champion teammate,” he said. “To being left alone, he seemed to be on his back here and he grew mentally in an incredible way.
“In fact, I think Marquez is only afraid of him, because he showed it in the last races. Because he was a second and a half away, a second and three [tenths], he was pushing Marquez.
“So I’m convinced that in the second part [of the season], Marco will do some great things, he will get podiums.”
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Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty ImagesWhy Marco Bezzecchi holds the biggest grudge over Marc Marquez in MotoGP
Pernat says Bezzecchi can challenge Marquez more than Bagnaia with his current form. His brilliant progression on the RS-GP25 has put him in a strong position to score consistent podiums and even race wins.
The 26-year-old will certainly be determined to catch and beat the Ducati rider. ‘No one’ holds a bigger grudge against Marquez than Bezzecchi, given the influence of his nemesis Valentino Rossi.
The Aprilia star came through Rossi’s VR46 academy; he will have it ingrained in him to fight with Marquez as the Spaniard gets closer to his MotoGP records.
Giacomo Agostini says Ducati should sign Bezzecchi if Bagnaia decides to leave the team. Given the Italian’s performances in 2025 and rivalry with Marquez, their partnership would certainly make for interesting viewing.