Marc Marquez, who sealed the championship title last season in Japan, is determined to enhance his Marc Marquez Mandalika performance as he chases two wins from the remaining five grands prix to surpass his 2014 record of 13 victories in a single season. This weekend’s immediate goal for Marquez is simply to complete the race at Mandalika, where he has yet to cross the finish line on a Sunday in his three previous appearances.
Challenges and Past Setbacks at Mandalika
Marquez’s record at Mandalika has been hindered by several incidents: a severe highside crash during the 2022 warm-up session, a race crash last year, and an engine failure earlier this season. His sole result in Indonesia remains a third-place finish in last year’s Sprint race while riding for Gresini. Despite these obstacles, Mandalika and Portimao are the only current circuits where Marquez has not yet secured a victory this season, marking them as key targets going forward.
Championship Standings and Competitors’ Status
The fight for second position in the championship intensifies as Francesco Bagnaia of the factory Ducati team closes the gap on Alex Marquez, trailing by 66 points after a flawless weekend in Motegi. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia slipped back after a collision with teammate Jorge Martin during the Sprint race and now sits 32 points behind Bagnaia.
Jorge Martin, who won pole position and the grand prix last year, will miss this weekend’s race due to surgery on a fractured right collarbone sustained in the Japanese event. Similarly, rookie Ai Ogura withdrew from his home Grand Prix last Sunday because of persistent wrist pain from a previous injury at Misano. Consequently, Raul Fernandez will be the sole Trackhouse rider competing in the special Gulf livery this weekend.
Friday’s Practice Schedule Ahead of the Race
The MotoGP action on Friday is set to begin with FP1 at 10:45 am local time (3:45 am UK), followed by MotoGP Practice at 1 pm local time (8 am UK), allowing riders including Marquez to prepare for this critical stage of the championship.
