Bautista: “Marquez has a lot of talent but can’t rely on that alone”

The reigning WorldSBK champion is well on his way to securing back-to-back title wins, a feeling Marquez grew accustomed to having prior to the 2020 MotoGP season. 

But the Repsol Honda rider has not become world champion since his injury issues and the Japanese manufacturer’s rapid decline. 

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Honda are going through their toughest period in MotoGP history, and with success always been hard to come by for riders on the other side of the garage to Marquez, it means the eight-time world champion has shouldered a huge amount of responsibility.

With injuries, which have again plagued his 2023 season thus far, and the current aerodynamic changes to MotoGP bikes making it hard for his talent to outweigh the current issues Honda are facing, Bautista thinks the same level of dominance that Marquez once had won’t be demonstrated again.

Speaking to Speedweek, Bautista said: "I think it leaves mental scars when you have to spend so much time off the track and go through so many surgeries, even when you think you're fully recovered. 

"The physical condition is one thing, but the mental side is another thing. Marquez has a lot of talent, but in his current situation, you can't rely on that alone."

Bautista also spoke about the technical aspect of MotoGP and how this has impacted Marquez, which he is well aware of after recently conducting a two-day test at Misano. 

"Technically, he is not in the best position either, the Honda does not allow him to drive the way he would like," added Bautista. 

"I also think that the way you ride in MotoGP has changed because of all the aerodynamics and electronics, all the inventions that have been made. 

"It all started when Marc got injured. When he came back he found a completely different MotoGP, riding differently, less aggressively. 

"You can see that they drift less now. Marc is always aggressive, but you can see that this no longer works."