Imagine a world where Marc Marquez, the MotoGP legend, was absent from the 2025 season. It's a mind-boggling thought, considering his dominance and the impact he had on the sport. But let's explore this hypothetical scenario and see how the season might have unfolded without him.
The Unstoppable Force
Marquez's absence would have left a massive void in the MotoGP grid. His incredible performance in 2025, despite missing the final four rounds, speaks volumes about his skill and the potential impact he had on the championship. With 545 points amassed across 18 rounds, he outshone his competitors in both grand prix and sprint races.
But here's where it gets controversial... What if we remove Marquez from the equation entirely? How would the season have played out then?
A Ducati Dynasty?
In this alternate reality, Ducati emerges as the dominant force. Without Marquez's shadow, Alex Marquez, his younger brother, steps into the spotlight. Riding the GP24, Alex claims eight grand prix victories, a significant improvement from his actual three wins in the original season. His consistent performance boosts his total to 344 points, just 11 shy of Marc's grand prix score.
However, it's in the sprints where Alex truly excels, racking up 13 wins and boosting his Saturday tally to 191 points. Combined, he finishes the 2025 season with an impressive 535 points, enough to claim the world championship title.
And this is the part most people miss... Marco Bezzecchi, riding for Aprilia, moves into second place in the standings. With a strong performance in the latter half of the season, he accumulates 401 points, a significant gap of 134 points behind Alex Marquez. In reality, this gap was slightly smaller, at 114 points.
KTM's Pedro Acosta takes third place in this scenario, with 351 points. Interestingly, Acosta would have scored his first wins in this alternate reality, claiming sprint honours at Brno and a grand prix victory in Hungary.
But what about Marquez's team-mate, Pecco Bagnaia? Unfortunately, his struggles continue, and he finishes outside the top three, with 336 points. Fabio Di Giannantonio and Fabio Quartararo also claim sprint wins in Hungary and Barcelona, respectively, and Fermin Aldeguer's first win would have been in Austria.
The most intriguing aspect of this scenario is the performance of Ducati's older bike, the GP24. It comfortably outperforms the new GP25, with a combined 10 wins compared to just three for the newer model. This raises an interesting question: Would Ducati have to invest more resources into improving the GP26, or would they double down on the success of the GP24?
So, what do you think? Would Ducati have still dominated without Marquez? Or would the absence of his talent have opened up opportunities for other teams and riders? Let's discuss and explore the possibilities in the comments below!
