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Marc Marquez's Spanish Grand Prix week began in Madrid at an event organized by Estrella Galicia 0,0, the personal sponsor of the rider and the official Ducati team, as well as title sponsor of the race to be held this weekend at the Jerez de la Frontera track.
Back on top of the championship after his victory in the Qatar GP, the Catalan rider took stock of this first part of the season. He also explained how he managed to return to fight for the title after the serious injury suffered in 2020.
"Logically, the years between 2020 and 2024 were the most difficult of my career and also of my life so far, but above all they were years in which the word 'unconventionality' was more pronounced in my head, because it was easy to throw in the towel, to give up, and that's what kept me going, always being realistic. That is, pursuing one goal after another. You can't get to the top of the mountain without having climbed all the steps," he noted.
The attitude of the eight-time world champion is exactly one of the values shared with the Estrella Galicia brand, to which he has been linked for 15 seasons already. Victor Mantinan, director of Activación de Hijos de Rivera, who shared the stage with him at the event, also emphasized this. "Marc is the personification of nonconformity, an attitude that fits our brand perfectly. He never throws in the towel, and his career teaches us that nothing is impossible," he said, "For any brand, and even more so for us who have watched him grow, to accompany him on this path to his dreams and to see firsthand the way he fights and overcomes himself to get to the top is impressive.
A statement of esteem to which the eldest of the Marquez brothers responded by explaining the importance of the sponsor for him: "I also feel these values and I feel part of this family. Estrella Galicia 0.0 is a part of my career that has always been there, to whom I have always felt attached and by whom I have always felt loved. They respected me when I was not doing well, without making demands, and they continued to support me when I had to make decisions. For me it's one of those important things that never changes."
Looking instead to the fifth round of the season, the championship leader explained how it feels to arrive at his home race as the favorite to win the title.
"I feel very good, I am ready for the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, where last year we got the first podium of the season," he recalled, "This year we started the season well, with confidence and good results, and we will try to keep this momentum going in Jerez as well. This does not mean we will win, but getting on the podium will be the goal of the Grand Prix and I am looking forward to feeling the warmth of the Spanish fans."
One of Marc's biggest rivals in the race for the world title is undoubtedly his brother Alex. "A source of pride" for the Ducati factory rider: "I've always been very proud of Alex, of how he has handled things all these years and even now, which is showing. Making comparisons is not nice, and asking him in every interview about his brother Marc would make anyone explode. Instead, he has always handled it very naturally, trying to pull it together, and we both helped each other. Then, from a technical point of view, everyone has their own team and their own strategies, their own way of looking at things, but from a sporting point of view we help each other. We have been doing that throughout our sporting career and we are helping each other even now. Although I am aware that at the end of the season I might still be fighting for the title with him."
Marc concluded the meeting by emphasizing that his intention is always to "continue to rely on everyone around me, starting with my family, friends, the team I have behind me and sponsors like Estrella Galicia, which give me a lot of peace of mind to face new challenges."
