Marc Marquez admitted the Catalan Grand Prix was not the right time to go “all in” for victory, despite the chance to wrap up the 2025 MotoGP title early.
After winning Saturday’s Sprint in Barcelona, Marc only needed to outscore his brother Alex by two points to move closer to sealing the championship. But despite applying constant pressure, he was unable to prevent the Gresini rider from claiming victory.
The result means the factory Ducati rider will have to wait until at least the Japanese Grand Prix for his first title match point.
Reflecting on the race, Marquez said he could have taken more risks but preferred to focus on the bigger picture with a 182-point lead.
“Still seven races to go,” he explained. “Today maybe I could have gone all in, but it was not the time. I need to control the bike, the limits, and the points. My brother was faster, and I have to accept that.”
He recalled overtaking Alex early on but easing off to use his slipstream to build a gap to the chasing pack, admitting Alex had the stronger pace.
Marquez also revealed Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi reminded him before the race that one day he might have to settle for second place.
“I predicted this race would be like last year with Pecco here – follow, try, but in the end they are faster. And today that was exactly what happened with Alex,” he said.
Despite missing out on victory, Marquez highlighted the importance of remaining competitive at a track where he traditionally struggles.
“The most important thing in a championship is that even at circuits where I’m not the strongest, I can still stay close to the fastest,” he concluded.
