Pressure and ambition at Gresini MotoGP team same as factory Honda

After an 11-year stint at the Repsol Honda team that yielded six titles but no victories since 2021, Marquez moved to Gresini this year in order to get his hands on a more competitive Ducati bike.

The Italian, family-run outfit is a world away from the more corporate Honda operation, creating a more convivial environment for Marquez to thrive on after a decade working for a factory.

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Consequently, it has meant fewer media and sponsorship commitments for the Spaniard, who can now enjoy more time away from the track with his family.

While Marquez admits there are differences in the way Gresini and Honda operate, he feels there is just as much pressure to perform and bring in big results as a full-fledged factory team.

“The pressure is the same, because the riders are happy if they are on the podium, the teams are happy if they are on the podium, and it’s the target of this team,” he said.

“Being on the podium is better than being in the top five and winning a race is better than being on the podium. So to have a good atmosphere, to have some jokes doesn’t mean you don’t have pressure or you don’t have ambition.

“The ambition is the same as a factory team because we are here to fight for the best result possible. But it’s true that it’s less people in the team and it’s more familiar.

“I always say a good atmosphere inside the team it’s only a big help. But in the Repsol Honda team the atmosphere was correct.

“But, of course, the culture is different between Japanese and Italian and Spain and USA. Every atmosphere is good if the results are good.”

Marquez scored his first podium on the Ducati at the Portuguese Grand Prix during the sprint race, when he rode from eighth to second.

A top five result in the grand prix went walking after a controversial collision with factory Ducati counterpart Francesco Bagnaia, which was deemed a racing incident but led to Marquez pinning the blame on the double world champion.

Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna called the incident “very regrettable”.