Marc Marquez ahead of Mugello: “Pecco? Just staying with him would already be big news”

Spanish rider Marc Marquez isn’t underestimating local hero Pecco Bagnaia: “He’s dominated here — I need to understand why he’s so strong on this track.”

He’s been in top form recently, but at Mugello, Marc Marquez is treading carefully on Ducati’s home turf — and especially Pecco Bagnaia’s. Judging by his own words, Marquez is hoping to simply keep up with Pecco and Alex this weekend.

Marc Marquez’s words

Marc Marquez’s words before Mugello: “We’re definitely coming into this weekend in great shape after Aragón. Testing went well and we’ll try to maintain the same level here. But we’re heading into a very special circuit — it’s Ducati’s home track and also my teammate Pecco’s, who’s won here several times over the past few years. In the last three editions, in particular, he’s been absolutely dominant.”

“I’m expecting a very strong Pecco, but also a very competitive Alex, because he’s usually really fast here too. We’ll see if I can stay with them — if I manage that, it would already be a great result for us.”

“Last year I had the chance to look at some of Pecco’s data, though the bike was different then, so it was harder to draw solid conclusions. This year I’ll try to understand more deeply what makes him so fast at this track, and I’ll try to learn not just from his data, but also from Alex’s — because both of them are always quick around here.”

“Is the championship already over? It’s not over for Pecco or for Alex — but at the moment, my biggest rival is my own brother. This is a sport where anything can happen, you can get hurt, and there are 37 points available every weekend. I’m struggling a bit here, so just staying close to them would already be a great sign.”

On Toprak coming to MotoGP: “It’s great to welcome a champion. It’ll be interesting to see his riding style since in SBK he rides with a very strong front end. The big difference for him will be adapting from Pirellis to Michelins — that’s going to be tough.”

Photo: Ducati Corse