Marc Marquez on MotoGP team orders: ‘If you’re fast, you don’t need them’

Marc Marquez says “if you have the speed, you don’t need” team orders, as the possibility of Ducati and Aprilia deploying them in the MotoGP title fight continues to be discussed.

The seven-time world champion comes to this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix two points down on Aprilia’s Jorge Martin in a tight title race.

After the Indonesian Grand Prix, the topic of team orders has been repeatedly discussed, though both Ducati and Aprilia management insist it’s still to early to use them.

However, it's thought Aprilia held a meeting with all of its riders on Thursday where team orders were discussed, though the riders dismissed this.

“We are a team…”

On Thursday at Phillip Island, Marquez brushed aside the idea, noting that you only need team orders “if you don’t have the speed”.

“I will always say that we are a team,” he said.

“And I’m with Ducati, with my team, with my staff, and trying to do our maximum.

“About team orders - if you have the speed, you don’t need team orders.

“If you don’t have the speed, then you need it.

“So, let’s see. At the moment I’m concentrating on myself. I’m trying to do my 100%.

“It’s true that [we need to see] if we can fight with all of that big Aprilia group.”

“I had some big doubts”

Marquez’s championship situation coming to Phillip Island was buoyed by a sprint win and sixth-place finish at Mandalika last time out.

However, he admits he had “some big doubts” coming to Indonesia that he didn’t discuss at the time.

“Lombok was a really good weekend; I would say, a perfect weekend for us, because it was equal points with Martin and we just lost three points to [Marco] Bezzecchi in a circuit where I arrived there - I didn’t say on Thursday - with some big doubts,” he added.

“But we were able to work very well, and now we are in Phillip Island, which is a circuit I like, but [also] a circuit where last year Aprilia were very fast.”

Previewing the Phillip Island round, Marquez said: “It’s a weekend where we need to evaluate everything, especially because the forecast doesn’t look so good during Saturday and Sunday.

“But it’s a circuit that I like, it’s a circuit with left corners, where I normally perform well.

“But it’s true that it’s a very fast circuit where Aprilia performed in a very good way last year. So, I expect this year they will be strong.”