Just two points separate Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez as the MotoGP World Championship enters its final five rounds at Phillip Island this weekend.
Marquez, the reigning seven-time MotoGP title holder, has never been defeated in a head-to-head championship battle. Likewise, Ducati hasn’t lost a riders' title since 2021.
Meanwhile, Martin, the 2024 champion for Pramac Ducati, is seeking to make history by winning Aprilia's first-ever premier-class crown.
That 2024 season was also Marquez’s first on Ducati machinery, having left Honda to join Gresini.
Jorge Martin leads, Qatar 2024.
© Gold and Goose
Although Marquez was riding a year-old GP23 rather than the factory-spec GP24 used by Martin, Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, Marquez had access to all of the Ducati data - and isn’t underestimating the threat posed by Martin this season.
"For me, Martín is a very talented rider, very talented” motorsport.com quotes Marc Marquez as saying.
"Last season was a very complicated year for him, with many injuries.
“But when I moved to Ducati [with Gresini in 2024] and had the opportunity to see the data of all the brand's riders, Martin was one of those who impressed me the most, in terms of how he rode and what he was capable of doing.
"He has a riding style very similar to mine, very much focused on braking. It's true that he rides very far back on the bike, but he's a rider who doesn't back down, a warrior.”
Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, MotoGP 2026.
© Gold and Goose
Jorge Martin responded: "It's always appreciated when someone like Marquez speaks highly of you. For me, it's an honour to be fighting for a title against him.
"I firmly believe that Marc is the one who makes me better, because to beat him I have to bring out the best in myself. I hope to continue competing against him for many more years.”
Martin’s Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi is next closest to the leading duo, albeit 46 points from the top.
Future Ducati team-mate Pedro Acosta is another current MotoGP rider Marquez is thought to rate highly in terms of exceptional talent.
MotoGP title chase after Mandalika GP: Points per race (top 8 riders).
© Peter McLaren
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.