Marc Márquez debuts his status as Ducati's flagship in Italy

“Three years ago, I was here announcing that I had to go to the United States to have my arm broken again so I could straighten it,” recalls Marc Márquez from Mugello, one of the circuits that has been the most difficult for him throughout his career. It's been six years since he's stood on the podium at the Italian GP, ​​where he only won in 2014 and since then has suffered the hostility of stands devoted to Valentino Rossi, the great local idol. For the World Championship leader, being back on track in full force after undergoing four operations on his humerus is the greatest victory he could achieve after that fateful accident at the 2020 Spanish GP . The idea of ​​​​winning his ninth title, which would put him on par with the legend of Tavullia , barely occupies any space in his mind.

“Regardless of whether a ninth title comes or not, the main challenge of my career was to be competitive again after the injury, and I've already achieved that,” explains the rider from Cervera, who arrives at the ninth round of the calendar with a 32-point lead over his brother Álex Márquez and 93 over Pecco Bagnaia, his teammate on the official Ducati team. The three-time Italian champion, unable to feel fully comfortable on the 2025 Desmosedici GP and winner in the last three visits to his home race, managed to beat the championship leader this Friday by just forty thousandths of a second in a session dominated by the KTM of Maverick Viñales (1:44.634).

Although it may seem like an anecdote, this is the first time so far in 2025 that Ducatis, the championship's great technical dominators, have not placed one of their machines in first position at the end of the practice session. The last time this happened was at the beginning of last October, during the 2024 Japanese GP, and with another KTM, that of Brad Binder . For the Bologna-based brand, winning at Mugello is an unavoidable objective, and this Saturday they will look to improve their punch for qualifying and the sprint race (3:00 p.m., Dazn).

On a placid Friday with the stands practically empty, Márquez was still unable to see how his relationship with the fans is evolving, damaged after the events of a decade ago that pitted him harshly against his childhood idol. "This aspect has been improving in recent years; the relationship with the fans is better. Being a Ducati rider helps, and the brand is doing very well. I've felt very welcomed by all of them and that way I can focus on my job, which is to put the throttle and show on the track," explains the 93-year-old, now the flagship of the Italian factory, winner of the last three riders' titles and five constructors' titles. In an interview with La Repubblica , he admits that there were moments of "tension" with the fans and that he has "never" spoken to Rossi again.

Last year, as a member of the Ducati customer Gresini team, he already experienced a certain improvement in his relationship with the stands. That didn't stop the crowd from booing him on the sprint podium when he finished second behind his current teammate. Bagnaia, a gentleman, then asked the stands not to boo the eight-time world champion.

Having become a benchmark for the brand that has brought pride to the Italian nation with its successes, Marc Márquez is aiming this weekend to seal his definitive reconciliation with Mugello and the Tifosi , and in the process extend his lead in the championship. If he takes the victory, it would be the 93rd of his career, although he refuses to focus on numbers and only thinks about enjoying himself on the bike.