Ducati great looking to join Agostini and Rossi with a century of wins on a fast, unfamiliar circuit
Marc Márquez arrives in Brazil this weekend with history beckoning. Sitting on 99 Grand Prix wins across all classes, the Ducati Lenovo Team star is one victory away from becoming a 100-time GP winner, becoming only the third rider to reach that milestone along with Giacomo Agostini (122) and Valentino Rossi (115).
The milestone shot comes as MotoGP makes a long-awaited return to Brazil, back on the calendar after 22 years away, and back in Goiânia for the first time since 1992. The Estrella Galicia 0,0 Brazilian Grand Prix will be held at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna, a compact 3.83km venue that is short, busy and likely to punish mistakes. With 31 laps scheduled, it’s the highest number of laps for the Grand Prix since the 2013 US GP held at Laguna Seca (32 laps). Lap times are expected to be around a 1:16 – the shortest on the calendar – and the average speed per lap is expected to put the venue in the top five after Phillip Island, Buriram, Silverstone and Mugello.
Marquez’s ability to adapt quickly to new tracks could count in his favour though – since he joined the premier class he is the most successful rider at winning at untried layouts, taking victories at Hungary, Thailand and Argentina and COTA when they were added to the calendar. “Brazil will be a unique GP for everyone; we don’t have any great references”, Marquez said. “I’m happy to arrive in a new country, where there are so many MotoGP fans. The track is very short, it will probably be very hot. We’ll make the most of Friday to adapt without making mistakes”.
The Brazilian round arrives as part of a back-to-back run in the Americas, with Goiânia followed immediately by COTA in Austin, and Ducati will be hoping the weekend can reset momentum after a “bittersweet” Thai GP where a tyre blowout destroyed Marquez’s podium hopes and teammate Bagnaia struggled.
Should Marc Marquez win at Goiania, it would also be the 23rd different track where he has won in MotoGP, equalling Valentino Rossi. The outright record is held by Mick Doohan with 24. Marquez would also move into a standalone third on the list of the Ducati riders with most MotoGP wins with 15, behind Francesco Bagnaia (31) and MotoGP Legend Casey Stoner (23).
Marquez isn’t the only rider looking to make history this weekend, with rookie Diogo Moreira scheduled to become the first Brazilian rider to race in MotoGP in Brazil since Alex Barros at the Rio GP back in 2004. Barros took the most recent podium for a Brazilian rider on home soil, finishing P2 at the 2000 Rio GP.
Marco Bezzecchi will be attempting to take Aprilia’s fourth consecutive win for the first time ever, while Aussie Jack Miller will be making his 200th GP start, becoming only the 10th rider to reach that milestone.
Circuit Information
Country: Brazil
Name: Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna
Track length: 3,83 km
Sprint race distance: 15 laps
Race distance: 31 laps
Turns: 13 (9 right, 4 left)
Marc Márquez Racing Statistics
GPs Starts: 286 (208 x MotoGP, 32 x Moto2, 46 x 125cc)
Wins: 99 (73 MotoGP + 16 Moto2 + 10 125cc)
Podiums: 165 (126 MotoGP + 25 Moto2 + 14 125cc)
Sprint wins: 15
Pole positions: 102 (74 MotoGP + 14 Moto2 + 14 125cc)
World Titles: 9 (MotoGP 2025, MotoGP 2019, MotoGP 2018, MotoGP 2017, MotoGP 2016, MotoGP 2014, MotoGP 2013, Moto2 2012, 125cc 2010)
