Without Marc Marquez, it seems that no one can be a worthy opponent for Bezzecchi at the Australian GP. The Italian rider also made an arrogant statement aimed directly at the Ducati rider that angered the entire MotoGP 👇👇
The weekend at2025 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prixat Phillip Island has become not just another chapter in the 2025 season but a turning point — largely because of the absence of seven-time world championMarc Marquezand the rise ofMarco Bezzecchi. Marca’s shoulder injury, suffered in a crash with Bezzecchi in Indonesia, rules him out of Australia and Malaysia. With Márquez sidelined, the field appears to have a clear frontrunner — and Bezzecchi hasn’t been shy about declaring it.
Bezzecchi’s pace this weekend has been electric. In Friday’s practice session he set a new lap record at Phillip Island, erasing previous benchmarks and leaving rivals scrambling. In qualifying, though, he was narrowly beaten byFabio Quartararofor pole by just 0.031 seconds — still an impressive showing, especially given the physical toll he’s under this weekend. Yet what really caught the headlines was his unfiltered confidence — and the message he appears to be sending Ducati and the rest of the MotoGP grid: without Márquez in the mix, Bezzecchi is the man to beat.
While careful not to single out names in every media interaction, Bezzecchi’s tone has bordered on audacious. He has repeatedly pointed to his combination of speed, improved consistency and the advantage of being unburdened by the pressure of a championship lead — unlike some of his rivals. The implication is clear: the yardstick has shifted, and that yardstick is him. Behind the scenes, the Ducati camp has been very vocal about his crash with Márquez in Indonesia — calling it “too much of a rush” by Bezzecchi. Now in Australia, with the Spanish ace absent, Bezzecchi doesn’t just sense opportunity — he’s openly claiming it.
This dynamic has unsettled a number of key Ducati riders. Factory favouriteFrancesco Bagnaiahas already admitted to struggles this season. In Australia he qualified 11th for the sprint and main race — a far cry from the expectations usually afforded to him. Meanwhile, Ducati holds an internal confrontation: can their machinery and rider line-up stem the Aprilia surge led by Bezzecchi? The Italian’s boldness appears to be feeding a broader narrative: that Aprilia may well have overtaken Ducati as the benchmark, and Bezzecchi is its spearhead.
That said, confidence comes with caveats. Bezzecchi arrives in Australia carrying a double long-lap penalty, handed down for the crash with Márquez in Indonesia, which will cost him around 2.6 seconds per lap when he serves it. He is also battling residual pain in his back as a result of that incident. So while the pace is undeniable, the challenge remains: convert that into a dominating main-race win despite the penalty, the physical discomfort and the strategic burden of being the driver to beat.
From the paddock perspective, Bezzecchi’s assertiveness is being interpreted in two ways. One: a driver finally coming of age, embracing his moment to be the reference point in the premier class. Two: a statement of intent so bold that it mocks the competition’s current vulnerability — particularly in Ducati’s camp. Some old-school observers caution that such talk can invite backlash — and indeed, there is quietly growing support among rivals, team bosses and commentators who hope Ducati and others will use this weekend as a rallying point.
In short, the landscape at Phillip Island is shifting. The absence of Márquez opens the door. Bezzecchi has burst through it with raw pace and confident rhetoric. And for the rest of the field — especially Ducati — the question is no longer just “can we win?” but “can we stop him?” Whether Bezzecchi’s words turn into a dominant Sunday win remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: he has declared himself the contender to beat, and the rest of the grid is watching.
