Marc Marquez Sets Sights on Top-Three Finish in 2024 MotoGP Season
Marc Marquez has set a realistic yet ambitious goal for the 2024 MotoGP season: finishing in the top three in the championship standings. While acknowledging the difficulty of keeping factory Ducati rider Enea Bastianini behind him, Marquez remains determined to maintain his position among MotoGP’s elite.
Currently riding for Gresini Racing on last year’s GP23, Marquez has been part of this season’s unofficial “big three,” alongside defending champion Francesco Bagnaia and Pramac’s Jorge Martin. The trio has dominated several rounds, including podium sweeps at Le Mans and Catalunya.
Bastianini Poses a Growing Threat
Despite a solid third-place finish at the German Grand Prix, Marquez has been outscored by Bastianini 61-52 over the last three rounds. As a result, the 31-year-old Spaniard now leads Bastianini by just 11 points in the standings.
“This first part of the season has been good. Not super, super good because we made some mistakes, but it has been good. We are third in the championship,” Marquez admitted at the Sachsenring after finishing second.
Marquez admits that chasing Bagnaia and Martin for the title may not be realistic at this point, and his focus is now on defending his current third-place position:
“It can be a good target trying to be in the first three positions in the championship because it won’t be easy to keep Enea behind. He is a fast rider. We will keep fighting, and keep learning from the top two guys in the Ducati — Martin and Bagnaia. They are a bit faster than us.”
Transition to Ducati Marked by Both Highs and Lows
Marquez’s move to Ducati with Gresini Racing has been impressive overall. The six-time MotoGP champion has claimed four grand prix podiums in the first nine race weekends and has even secured a factory Ducati deal for 2025.
However, the journey hasn’t been flawless:
A collision with Bagnaia in Portugal
A crash while leading the Americas GP
Struggles in qualifying, often requiring him to go through Q1
While he did take pole position at Jerez, his average qualifying position up to Sachsenring has been 7.4, indicating room for improvement in single-lap pace.
Marquez Reflects on His Season: A Solid 8/10
When asked to grade his season so far, Marquez gave himself a score of 8 out of 10, citing both his strong performances and avoidable mistakes:
“For me, 8 [out of 10] because it was a good start to the season but with a few mistakes, particularly in Austin, followed by the sprint race in Assen. Two major mistakes. The rest are acceptable.”
As the season progresses, Marquez will aim to fine-tune his qualifying performances and continue his fight to remain in the MotoGP top three, while keeping rising contenders like Bastianini at bay.