Marc Marquez 'a little more nervous than I should be' ahead of Ducati Lenovo debut in MotoGP 2025 season opener
By Leon Imber
Published 26/02/2025 at 18:07 GMT
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Six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez confessed to being "a little more nervous than I should be" ahead of the season's opening race in Thailand on Sunday - live on TNT Sports and discovery+. The Spaniard - who will debut for Ducati Lenovo alongside new team-mate and last year's runner-up Francesco Bagnaia - is looking to return to the throne after an impressive campaign on the Gresini.
Emotional Bastianini celebrates after winning Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Video credit: TNT Sports
Marc Marquez is relishing the "special" occasion of this weekend's MotoGP season-opener in Thailand, though confessed to feeling the nerves as he debuts for Ducati Lenovo.
With injury issues behind him, and lining up alongside new team-mate Francesco Bagnaia as part of a sensational pairing, Marquez will look to take the MotoGP crown from compatriot Jorge Martin.
His impressive performances on the Gresini bike saw the Spaniard earn a move up to Ducati's main team, and the six-time championship winner is eyeing a positive start to life on the faster bike.
"I'm always a little more nervous than I should be for the first race of the season, it's always a special GP," Marquez said ahead of this weekend’s curtain-raiser - available to watch live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
"I'm happy to race in Thailand, we arrive here after a good pre-season and with a good base, we worked really hard and well with the team.
"The races, it's true, are a different thing, you have to take care about all the details, but I really want to start and do well, this will certainly help for the season."
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Watch as Marc Marquez heads out on new factory Ducati for first time
Video credit: TNT Sports
Marquez is looking to pick up his first MotoGP crown since 2019, and the Ducati Lenovo line-up is a formidable one with 2022 and 2023 winner Bagnaia alongside him.
The Italian narrowly missed out on last year's title in an epic finale with Martin, and the Italian is excited to get going again, despite "not perfect" pre-season preparations.
"The first GP of the season is a special moment, a race that has always a little bit different taste," Bagnaia said.
"I come from a pre-season that was overall positive, not perfect, but where we worked a lot to get the bike in the best possible conditions and make the most solid choices in terms of development direction.
"From Friday the thing starts to get serious on a track that I like and that in recent years has been well suited to the Ducati, I can't wait."
Defending champion Martin is set to miss the Thailand showcase, as his disrupted pre-season took another hit with the Aprilia star fracturing his left hand in training.
The team confirmed that Lorenzo Savadori would stand in as the world champion's replacement.
How to watch MotoGP on TNT Sports and discovery+?
TNT Sports will continue to be the home of MotoGP after agreeing a new multi-year deal to broadcast the championship in the UK and Ireland.
Live coverage of MotoGP Grand Prix races and Tissot Sprints will give fans the opportunity to continue to watch the likes of Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia on TNT Sports and discovery+.
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.
You can subscribe to TNT Sports through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
What MotoGP races are on TNT Sports and discovery+?
TNT Sports and discovery+ will show every practice session, every qualifying session and every Sprint Race and main Race of the MotoGP season.
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