During his first season with Ducati’s factory team, Marquez was once again seen as the quickest rider on the grid. It marked a significant comeback for someone who’d spent years battling injuries and struggling to find his form.

Marquez had been a dominant force between 2013 and 2019 before suffering a serious arm injury at Jerez that changed everything. That crash kept him out for the entire 2020 campaign, starting a run of injuries and setbacks that would take years to overcome.

He returned in 2021 but never managed to recapture his old dominance. Ongoing physical issues and an underperforming Honda limited his results, leaving many wondering if he’d ever return to the top.

The move paid off. Marquez joined Gresini Ducati for 2024 and then earned a seat with the factory team in 2025. By then, he was back near the front, reminding everyone why he was once considered untouchable.

Melandri explained: “If you ask me who is more complete between Marc and Pecco Bagnaia, I’ll tell you Marc all my life,” before adding: “Even if he’s not necessarily faster than Pecco.”

Marco Melandri says Marquez no longer the fastest rider in MotoGP

Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images

Marquez used to stand out even when his bike wasn’t the best, but Marco Melandri doesn’t think that’s true anymore.

Speaking on Chiacchiere da Box, Melandri said that while he doesn’t see Marquez as the fastest rider this season, he does believe him to be the most well-rounded.

The Italian added that Marquez’s experience could play a key role at the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix in 2026, saying:

“I’ll tell you, in my opinion, Marquez will rarely be the fastest this year, but he is the most complete rider.

“He always manages to optimise his performance and still manages to go fast in qualifying, even though he wasn’t doing well here in qualifying. Then he found the lap behind – I don’t remember who it was – and set a good time. So he always manages to optimise everything.”

Melandri also highlighted Marquez’s ability to focus on the bigger picture of a championship campaign:

Marquez Hit with penalty after Thai Sprint Race clash

Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta found themselves in the thick of the action during the Sprint Race at the 2026 season opener in Thailand.

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The incident happened late on, when Marquez made a move on Acosta that sent his rival off track. The stewards responded quickly, handing Marquez a penalty on the final lap.

The decision stirred up debate among fans, many of whom felt that Marquez’s move was within the rules and didn’t warrant any punishment.

“The Marc pass for me was totally wrong,” Hodgson said during MotoGP After The Flag. “I’m glad he got penalised for it. What’s annoying is everyone calls it ‘hard racing’ these days. It wasn’t hard racing, it was not fair.”

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