“ One more year we did a long winter, tough winter about the mental side because a lot of physiotherapy sessions and a lot of gym sessions with low weights,” said Marquez.“ But step by step now I ' m feeling better, and I think or I can say to you that in Thailand I will be close to 100 %.”
Despite still feeling some way from full physical fitness in January, the 33-year-old is not concerned about his speed, even if he missed the last four rounds of 2025 and a crucial test in Valencia. Test days on road bikes helped him find his groove again before he returned for a solid MotoGP™ preseason.
“ You never miss the speed,” he said.“ If you have it. Of course, in the beginning, the first days when I rode I was super stiff, and I didn ' t have the speed. But in a single lap I had the speed if I want, but not in a long distance.
“ Now step by step I start to have the speed, and if you feel confident and you feel well, it ' s what I understood with the last injury. If I feel well physical condition, the speed is there. For that reason, I was not worried to miss the Valencia test, I was not worried to miss the Valencia race, because my weak point is my physical side. So if I take care of this, the speed is there.”
Injury aside, 2025 was a momentous year for Marquez, who completed the biggest challenge of his career in returning from the serious injury of five years before. So what is motivating him to compete this year?
The answer was simple.“ Keep enjoying it,” he said.“ I ' m happy with my life, I ' m happy with my work. I have already done the most difficult challenge of my career, that was to come back. Now if something else comes, it ' s welcome. I would like to keep enjoying which means fighting for podiums, fighting for victories, and championships are something quite big and difficult to achieve. But this year we have the responsibility to fight for the championship one more year.”
Official Programme PT Grand Prix of Thailand 57