Marc Marquez Ends Three-Year Victory Drought with Dominant Aragon MotoGP Performance: ‘I Put Pressure on Myself to Be Perfect

Marc Marquez "set high expectations for himself" to achieve a "flawless" weekend at the Aragon MotoGP.

"I didn't enjoy the Sprint because I was aware of the day's significance."

Marc Marquez broke his nearly three-year streak without a win by triumphing at last weekend's Aragon MotoGP, a result he called "perfect."

Marquez led all three practice sessions, secured pole position with a 0.8-second margin, claimed a commanding victory in the Sprint, and finished the Grand Prix on Sunday five seconds ahead of Jorge Martin.

Marquez did not record a lap time in the Warm Up session, which was the only part he didn’t dominate, due to the track being wet from rain that fell overnight and continued into Sunday morning.

"It was an ideal weekend," Marquez said during the press conference after the race. "We were ahead in every session, except for the Warm Up, where I chose, along with my team, to remain in the garage."

Marquez expressed his feelings about the emotional tension that had accumulated over nearly three years without a win and the sense of relief he experienced when he crossed the finish line to secure his 60th top-class victory.

"In the race, we experienced an incredible sensation from the start," he stated. "The race was extremely long, and it was challenging to manage our emotions during the final laps, but crossing the finish line felt like shedding 3–4kg."

"With each step, my back felt increasingly heavier, making this victory even more remarkable. Instantly, my thoughts turned to the entire journey we had taken, the people who supported me, and my family, including my girlfriend and my brother, Alex Marquez."

“They provided me with significant assistance, particularly the Gresini team, who offered me the chance. I approached this as a new rider, gave it my all, and we succeeded. Now, we set new goals and continue to move forward.”

During the race, Marquez created a significant lead, allowing him some mental space to reflect during the last few laps.

"During the final three laps, I was already thinking about being on the podium," he mentioned. "But more than the podium, it's the Gresini garage that stands out. It's always a lively and cheerful place, constantly full of celebrations."

"Besides that, the initial factor was the individuals surrounding me. During extremely challenging times, if you lack a compassionate team of genuinely kind people who are enduring even more than you are, it makes all the difference."

"The celebration felt quite unusual; in other races, the adrenaline was stronger when we celebrated second or third places. Today, it was more about emotion than adrenaline."

Marquez acknowledged feeling some pressure to cap off his weekend with a win in the Grand Prix, after leading in every session except the rainy Sunday morning Warm Up.

"Today, I felt the weight of expectations," he mentioned. "As you observed during the Sprint yesterday, I wasn't having a good time because I was aware of the significance of today and recognized the crucial chance I had."

"Because of that, I aimed to stay concentrated. When you possess the speed, it seems like you can handle the circumstances, remain steady, and be clever; but you're essentially the same person, and without the speed, it's incredibly hard to manage things."

"Let's aim to improve our speed in the upcoming races and strive to be competitive with the leading racers."

Marquez views this victory as significant as his 2021 German Grand Prix win, which was his first since suffering an arm injury at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix.

Marquez stated, "I consider it to be on the same level as my performance in Germany in 2021."

"When the team is dealing with numerous injuries and facing a challenging period, the significance of each win changes."

"I've had 60 wins, but those two, along with my first MotoGP victory, stand out as the most significant because they boost my confidence in a unique way and provide an extra sense of assurance."

"I hadn't felt well for a long time, and the laps this weekend were brief. I was simply riding smoothly, it felt effortless, but I made sure to stay very focused to avoid any errors."

Even though this marked Marquez's twelfth race weekend with the Gresini Ducati team, he revealed that he believed a win was achievable ever since he first rode the Desmosedici during the Valencia test at the close of 2023.

During the Valencia test, Marquez came to the conclusion that a race victory is on the horizon. "I understood there that our chances will come," he stated. He added that while competing for the championship is a different challenge, continuous effort is required to reach that goal.

"However, while in Valencia, I began to realize that it would eventually come."

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