Bautista praises Marquez as one of the sport’s best, despite admitting a bit of ‘luck’ in his career

Alvaro Bautista sees Marc Marquez as one of the most gifted riders ever to get on a bike, though he admits Marquez has benefitted from racing only for strong teams throughout his career.

Marquez entered the MotoGP scene in 2013 with Honda, fresh off a Moto2 title win. The team was coming off a constructor’s title thanks to Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner, though Jorge Lorenzo had just claimed the rider’s championship.

He stayed with Honda for over a decade before making the move to Gresini, where he rode an older Ducati model. Even so, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact. A third-place finish put him in line for a move to the factory team, and he went on to win his seventh top-class title there last season.

Alvaro Bautista points to ‘good bikes’ throughout Marquez’s career

Bautista spoke about Marquez on the Fast and Curious podcast. He raced alongside him in MotoGP from 2013 until 2018 before making the switch to Superbikes.

For those first two years, both were on Hondas, though Bautista was with Gresini, which was the satellite team at the time.

Bautista drew a parallel between Marquez and his own idol, Mick Doohan, who won five world titles despite nearly losing his leg in an accident. Marquez underwent four surgeries on his arm between his final Honda championship in 2019 and the 2025 Ducati title.

“I think he’s a fantastic rider with a lot of talent, and well, he’s been lucky in part too because he’s always had good teams, always had good bikes, always had good support,” said Bautista.

“So, that helps too, but we shouldn’t take away from all the merit and talent he has. He’s had difficult moments and recovered.

“It’s been a bit like Mick Doohan, my idol, he’s done something similar, hasn’t he? Difficult moments of saying, ‘Well, I’ve already won a lot, I’ll stay home because it’s hurting myself.’

“And in the end, he’s been stubborn enough to say, ‘No, I have to prove to myself and to everyone that I can win again.’

“He’s made choices that maybe another rider wouldn’t have made because he was sure of himself, and the confidence he had is important. You just have to take your hat off to him for everything he’s done, how he’s done it, and well, for me, he’s one of the most talented riders in history.”

Alvaro Bautista: 2026 won’t be ‘such a walk in the park’ for Marc Marquez

Bautista talked about the early stages of the season, noting how Bezzecchi and Aprilia have shown improvement while Ducati has faced a tougher start compared to last year.

“I think at first glance it seems more entertaining than last year, which seemed like a one-sided affair,” he said.

“What’s clear is that Aprilia, at least in the three preseason tests and the first race, has improved a lot, right? And Ducati, all the riders there now seem to be finding it a bit harder.

“Let’s see how the championship develops, but I think this championship won’t be such a walk in the park for Marc, will it? I also think he’s not quite at 100% physically yet.”

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Managing two satellite teams has proven difficult for Ducati, especially with ongoing tensions between VR46 and Gresini.

VR46’s signing of Fermin Aldeguer for 2027, taking him from Gresini, has only added to the friction between the two sides.

Nadia Padovani was unhappy with Aldeguer’s move, feeling as though VR46 were being prioritised over their team.

Gresini even thought about switching to Honda or another team following this decision, highlighting how strained things had become. But that switch didn’t happen in the end.

Ducati may have been relieved when Gresini moved on from their setup, given how tense things had gotten with VR46.

Inside Ducati’s Fatiguing VR46-Gresini Feud

Speaking to Motorsport, a Ducati executive who preferred to remain unnamed said that Gresini and VR46 often require internal mediation to smooth over their differences.

He described the situation between the two satellite teams as similar to dealing with two kids who can’t stop arguing, calling it “exhausting” to have to keep stepping in.

Ducati likely would not have lost much sleep if Gresini had moved on. It may have even simplified things for them, given how often they’ve had to play peacemaker.

If Gresini had joined another manufacturer next year, Ducati reportedly already had other options lined up. But for now, Gresini remain part of their setup.

Gresini is looking to bring in a fresh face for 2027, but it won’t be Nicolo Bulega

Gresini are still searching for replacements for both Fermin Aldeguer and Alex Marquez, but one candidate has already been ruled out.

According to reports, Nicolo Bulega won’t be considered. Nadia Padovani is said to have pushed back against any move that would see Ducati place the World Superbike Championship rider with Gresini.

The departure of Alex Marquez to KTM has only added to the workload. Both spots now need filling ahead of the 2027 season, and they’ll want some stability after a period of change.

No official announcements have been made yet regarding who will step in, though there’s growing speculation that Enea Bastianini and Daniel Holgado could end up as Gresini’s new line-up.

Daniel Holgado, a rising star in Moto2, is now set to join Gresini’s MotoGP team in 2027 after pulling out of talks with Yamaha over a potential ride.

The Spaniard has quickly built a reputation as one of the top prospects in the intermediate class. Following an impressive rookie season with CFMoto, he’s carried that momentum into this year. Holgado claimed third place in Thailand and followed it up with a win in Brazil before struggling to 16th place in America after qualifying 15th.

His weekend at COTA was also complicated by a long lap penalty for causing Joe Roberts’ crash at Turn 1 during the original start. Holgado now sits third in the standings with 33 points, trailing Manuel Gonzalez on 39.5 and Izan Guevara on 36.

Both Holgado and Guevara could be moving up to MotoGP together for the start of the 2027 season. Recent reports indicate that Gresini are planning to sign Holgado following their new satellite Ducati agreement, while Guevara is expected to join Pramac Yamaha around the same time.

Daniel Holgado Informs Yamaha of His Gresini Move for 2027

Yamaha had also been considering Holgado for a MotoGP spot in 2027, but according to Motorsport.com, the Spaniard recently let the team know he plans to join Gresini instead.

Gresini and Yamaha are both looking at changes for 2027. Fermin Aldeguer’s move to VR46 left Gresini frustrated after Ducati exercised their option on the rider. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez is set to join KTM after being overlooked for a factory Ducati seat.

Fabio Quartararo’s expected switch to Honda has been widely discussed, while Alex Rins is likely to leave Yamaha before then. Both teams are actively searching for new riders ahead of those moves.

Holgado could have been in contention to fill one of those spots with Guevara expected at Pramac. Jack Miller’s contract with Pramac runs out at the end of 2026, and Razgatlioglu is expected by his agent to remain with them into 2027.

Daniel Holgado broke the news to Yamaha that he’s joining Gresini in 2027

Holgado had also been discussing a possible MotoGP move with Yamaha, but according to Motorsport.com, he recently told them he’s chosen Gresini as his next step up from Moto2.

Gresini and Yamaha are both looking at new options for 2027, with their current riders expected to move on. Gresini were frustrated when Ducati assigned Fermin Aldeguer to VR46 for 2027, taking advantage of their option to extend his deal.

Alex Marquez is expected to join KTM’s factory team in 2027 after Ducati decided not to offer him a place in their works line-up. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo is widely expected to join Honda, and Alex Rins’ departure from Yamaha also appears imminent.

With Rins leaving, Yamaha still needs a second factory rider, a role Holgado might have filled given that Guevara is tipped for Pramac. Jack Miller’s contract with Pramac ends in 2026, and Toprak Razgatlioglu’s agent believes he’ll remain there into the following season.

KTM must agree not to extend Enea Bastianini’s contract for him to return

Bastianini has emerged as Gresini’s top target, according to reports, and the path back isn’t straightforward. The Italian raced for them back in 2022 before moving through different teams over the years.

Even though Bastianini is reportedly interested in returning and is Gresini’s top choice according to sources like Motorsport.com, there are still obstacles. KTM holds an option to extend his factory contract into the next year and hasn’t shown signs of giving it up yet.

Bastianini initially joined KTM Tech3 on a two-year deal starting in 2025 after leaving Ducati’s factory team when they brought Marc Marquez aboard. While adapting hasn’t been easy—he sits 11th in points early this season—he remains their second-best performer behind Pedro Acosta.

Bastianini leads ahead of Brad Binder, who is on just 17 points through three rounds. Maverick Vinales has yet to record a point while dealing with ongoing shoulder issues suffered before the start of this year’s campaign.

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NEC X announced the seven startups selected for Batch 15 of its Elev X! Ignite program, a 12-month accelerator designed to help early-stage founders transform innovative ideas into seed-ready companies.
Chosen through a competitive multi-phase selection process from hundreds of applications across 34 industries, Batch 15 highlights clear emerging trends in the startup landscape. More than 70% of applicants were building B2B AI solutions focused on operational efficiency, while about 15% were developing physical AI technologies involving robotics or real-world automation. NEC X also noted growing interest in AI governance, safety and infrastructure.

Batch 15 founders will work closely with NEC X’s venture studio team, engineers, advisors and business mentors to accelerate product development, validate market fit and prepare for pre-seed-stage investment.

“Across industries, founders are rethinking how complex systems operate, and AI is becoming the foundation for that transformation,” said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. “Batch 15 represents a group of entrepreneurs tackling some of the most operationally intensive challenges, from healthcare triage to satellite coordination. Through Elev X! Ignite, we’re helping these teams rapidly test ideas, leverage NEC technologies and build scalable businesses ready for global impact.”
Batch 15 companies are:

• AriesView – AI-powered intelligence platform for institutional real estate investors – turning complex documents and portfolio data into faster, sharper investment decisions.
• Opscom – Turns frontline security operations into defensible, audit-ready evidence, reducing compliance burden and exposure to contract, penalty and dispute risk.
• Fishlert – An automated text and email communication solution that maximizes pricing and negotiation power for fresh catch sales.
• FlightSuite.ai – A universal CRM agent that lets sales teams update contacts, log deals and manage pipelines naturally via SMS or browser, eliminating manual data entry across GoHighLevel, HubSpot and Salesforce.
• HumanLens – AI governance infrastructure for regulated industries. From “where is this model?” to auditable compliance – in days, not months.
• Manifest Space – Space traffic coordination and satellite identification to prevent collisions, improve visibility, and grow the orbital economy.
• Renna Health Inc. – A virtual clinical teammate for Emergency Rooms that engages patients early and often while they wait and autonomously acts on those conversations for risk stratification, documentation, disposition planning and more.

Each startup benefits from NEC X’s comprehensive support network, gaining access to NEC’s 45,000 patents, world-class researchers, expert-led workshops, product development resources and specialized investor readiness training. Startups can also leverage NEC’s global reach across more than 55 international markets and its $8 billion annual R&D ecosystem.

Together, these resources equip founders with the tools and connections needed to accelerate growth, scale globally and bring transformative solutions to market. Graduates of Elev X! programs successfully raise funding, gain early traction and scale operations. Recent alumni include Yadag, WeWalk, Milkyway X AI, Multitude Insights, Verdi and more.

For more information about Elev X! Programs, click here.

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