Source: HRC.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez insists that Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo remain his main title threats, along with Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa, despite Ducati’s improvements with the GP15.

Ducati currently has access to a softer option tyre – which the team hasn’t used on days one or two at Qatar – since the brand hasn’t won since Casey Stoner at Phillip Island in 2010.

The team would be immediately stripped of this concession should they achieve three race wins during this season; something that Marquez thinks will have a big impact on the championship.

“At the end of day, it’s clear that our rivals are the Yamaha riders and Dani [Pedrosa] – they are our rivals for the championship,” Marquez explained.

“At some specific point, the Ducati will be there at the front, but they have this handicap of losing some of their advantages if they get good results, so yeah, I know who my rivals are and who I have to keep a close eye on.”

Marquez split the Ducati duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone on Sunday evening at Qatar, finishing second overall and 0.184s from the pace-setting Dovizioso.