Mark Marquez recently looked invincible in MotoGP.
He won 10 races in a row, sitting above the MotoGP rankings, and his ninth World Championship is now inevitable.
But half of 2025 should come – including some fly-away circuits, his rivals are intended to stop him from winning.
Crash.NET experts then choose the rider who defeats Marquez and chooses where it will happen…
One circuit is a step towards the unknown for everyone.”
Peter McLaren: Beating the indefinite Mark Marquez on a bike of the same brand proves a tall order. Assuming there is no unpredictable weather, the best chance to stop him is to have technical advantages, such as another manufacturer that makes use of the tires more effectively.
In Brno, KTM’s Pedro A Costa and Aprilia’s Marco Betzecchi were the best of the rest behind Marquez. Betzekki has already claimed a MotoGP victory at Silverstone, indicating that he is a more consistent podium threat.
Where did it happen? Betzecchi’s previous victory venue is already behind us, but Barcelona (September 5-7) is the track that Aprilia had historically excelled, with race victory in the hands of Alex Espargaro. Then it’s the new Hungarian Grand Prix (August 22-24). This is a step towards the unknown for everyone and another surprise opportunity.
Lewis Duncan: In theory, if Mark Marquez fails to win the Grand Prix, the piece will be picked up by either Alex Marquez or Pecco Bagnaia. That already fits the Grump Awards in the US and Spain this year.
However, at the Czech Grand Prix, only two Ducatis are seen in the top 10, with general manager Gigi d’Or Dina sounding the warning of greater threats from rival brands.
This year, except for Ducati, there was only one other manufacturer who could win dry conditions, but that was Aprilia. Marco Betzecchi’s Silverstone victory came on the weekend when Ducati was least strong at the Grand Prix.
In Assen, he was Mark Marquez’s closest challenger in the main race, giving the Ducati rider a good push at the Czech Grand Prix. Clearly, Aprilia is currently the second best bike on the grid, and Betzecchi has already been praised for Marquez’s speed this year.
In particular, I hope to continue to get my teammate Jorge Martin back and build that momentum.
Mark Marquez reminded me of a circuit that I’ve never seen a checkered flag
Marco Betzecki
Derry Munikartono: Now, Mark Marquez is in his own league. He is dominated across a variety of tracks, including those traditionally seen as his weak spots like Lusail, Mugero and Assen.
However, if there is a crack in the armor, it indicates that several riders can already capitalize. Francesco Bagnaia and Alex Marquez both retain that distinction. Although Mark lost his crash, he defeated Mark this season. The details are important, but it also speaks to him the ability to put pressure on mistakes. Importantly, they are not fighting from behind with equipment as they ride the dominant Ducati machine. From a pure performance standpoint, they may actually have the best shots to abdicate him on Sunday.
That being said, if we are talking about consistency and tenacity over one great moment, Marco Betzecki still deserves serious consideration. He has been the shadow of Mark recently – closing him with Assen, Saxen Ring (Sprint), Brno – and although he has yet to seal the deal after Silverstone’s victory, his upward trajectory and Aprilia’s feel are clear.
What about where someone might ultimately defeat Mark? Smart money is located in Mandalica. The Lombox Circuit is one of the places Mark has never seen a checkered flag, whether it’s a crash or a mechanical misfortune. It is physically punishable, low grip, and unpredictable. It’s a place where his control could sway. Whether Pecco, Alex or Bez waiting on the wings, Mandalica may be the best shot anyone has to stop #93 this season.
Jordan Moreland: It’s hard to predict! I think I’ll be Alex Marquez of Barcelona in September. His great performance on his first outing at the GP24 in Test last November is love the circuit, home racing… Certainly he can take it to the mark there.
Alex Whitworth: Looking at the records of Austria and Francesco Bagnaia and the records of Mark Marquez there, the Spaniards’ victory ends at Spielberg.
However, Marquez’s winning record in Austria relies heavily on the machinery he rode there. This is either like the corner where most of the Red Bull Ring is made up of, or not designed.
As for Bagnaia, he is not a rider who has been in the past.
So where else can you beat Marquez? Barcelona isn’t his strongest track, but he went from 14th to 3rd in the Grand Prix last year. Sepang needs equal attention to Marquez, but he was the third best rider at the GP23 last year.
To be honest, you won’t see Marquez being beaten straight this year either, so your best bet is the oddity of the flyaway. Of course, he’s very good in tricky terms, so that’s not a guarantee either.