'Maybe the strongest one' - Marc Marquez hoping to 'get close' to Ducati Lenovo team-mate Francesco Bagnaia at Grand Prix Austria

React to this story

Marc Marquez set the fastest pace in both practice sessions on Friday at Grand Prix Austria. Marquez is 120 points clear at the top of the world championship standings, and 168 ahead of his Ducati Lenovo team-mate, Francesco Bagnaia. However, Marquez believes that Bagnaia's strong track record in Austria means he could be a direct rival for the weekend.

'The bike there is absolutely destroyed' - Martin walks away from dramatic crash in Austria

Video credit: TNT Sports

Marc Marquez believes his Ducati Lenovo team-mate Francesco Bagnaia is the rider most likely to challenge him this weekend at Grand Prix Austria.

Marquez was fastest in both sessions on Friday as he looked likely to extend his lead at the top of the world championship standings.

The 32-year-old Spaniard is currently 120 points clear of his nearest rival, Gresini BK8 rider and younger brother Alex Marquez. Bagnaia, meanwhile, is third in the table, 168 points behind.

Grand Prix Great Britain

MotoGP Grand Prix Great Britain: Start times, schedule, how to watch and live stream

Yesterday at 12:50

The title frontrunner told MotoGP.com that Bagnaia could be one to watch for the remaining two days of racing.

"Pecco [Francesco Bagnaia] has been always super-strong here," Marquez said.

"He won the last three years in a very good way.

'That's about 90 miles an hour' - Quartararo suffers crash at Grand Prix Austria practice

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Today also, he was super-good on race pace, maybe the strongest one.

"Pecco is a two-time [MotoGP] world champion and here is one of his circuits. Let’s see if we can be close to him."

Marquez was content with the way the bike was feeling, and he said that he would be targeting a top-three spot in Saturday’s qualifying, before the Sprint race.

"It was a good day," Marquez added on Friday afternoon.

"Not a perfect day because the feeling takes time to arrive – the good feeling, the sweet feeling.

"That FP1, maybe after the summer break, then in FP2 [practice] in the beginning I was struggling. But then, step-by-step, I get the rhythm, I get the correct brake points, I get the correct lines, I start to be more constant. That was very important.

"Apart from that, I’m happy with how I feel and let’s see. The target is to be on the front row in qualifying."

He added that he felt the most important aspect of the track in Austria was to make sure riders get their braking right.

"Brake points are the most difficult points and the key of this Red Bull Ring," he explained.

"If you are constant in the brake points, then for the race pace you have much more options."

Stream every race of the 2025 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+

Grand Prix Great Britain

Marquez complains 'you are even slower' unless you ride 'robot style'

27/07/2026 at 11:06

Motorcycling

Friday is the day for my mistakes now, says title-chasing superstar Marquez

16/07/2026 at 19:07