Andrea Dovizioso believes Marc Marquez’s current physical condition is more concerning than it appears, warning that the issue may not have an easy solution.
It is clear that the Ducati MotoGP rider is not yet fully recovered from the right shoulder injury he suffered at the start of the 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix, when he was taken out by Marco Bezzecchi. However, both Marquez and his team have maintained that progress is being made, even if the rider himself has admitted he is still discovering “what my new 100% physical condition is”.
Not everyone is convinced that will be enough for Marquez to return to a level capable of matching the early-season pace set by Aprilia, particularly Bezzecchi, who has emerged as a leading contender in the championship’s opening phase. After three rounds, Marquez sits fifth in the standings, already 36 points adrift of the lead.
Among those raising doubts is former Ducati rider Dovizioso, who finished runner-up in MotoGP three times between 2017 and 2019, each season behind Marquez. The pair shared an intense rivalry during that period, before the Spaniard’s career was disrupted by injury in 2020.
Few riders understand Marquez as well as Dovizioso, who regularly went head-to-head with him during Marquez's dominant years with Honda. The Italian remains closely involved in the paddock, attending selected grands prix in his role as a Yamaha test rider, working on the manufacturer’s V4 engine project alongside riders including Fabio Quartararo.
Speaking after the US GP, Dovizioso offered a stark assessment of his former rival’s situation.
“Marc is not a rider who complains and he has never made excuses,” he told Moto.it.
“So the truth about how he is doing and how many problems he has, especially for those who do not support him, has never been valued much.
“But his situation, in my opinion, is much more serious than it seems.
“Last year, he managed to win the championship, I would not know how to tell you at what percentage level, but without a doubt he was not at 100%.
“He still has a lot to improve physically. And perhaps with the crash in Indonesia this limitation in the arm has increased even more, which I believe does not have a solution,” he assesses.
“Austin was the definitive confirmation. In a place where he could have made the difference, he could not."
