Marc Marquez is playing down his hopes of building on his exceptional record of race-winning success at the Grand Prix of The Americas as he prepares to tackle the Austin circuit aboard Ducati machinery for the first time.

The Spaniard is a seven-time race winner at Circuit of The Americas, the Austin circuit laying claim as the scene of his first MotoGP victory in 2013.

Achieved in only his second premier class start aboard the Repsol Honda, the victory would go on to kick-start Marquez’s unexpected run to the first of his six MotoGP World Championship titles in his rookie season.

Eleven years on, 58 further MotoGP wins have followed, with Marquez - who was ruled out of the 2023 event by injury - arriving at this year’s Texan event in contention for a landmark return to the top of the COTA podium, this time as a Ducati rider.

Indeed, Marquez has enjoyed an encouraging start to life as a Gresini Racing rider, proving competitive on the year-old GP23 during the opening two events in Qatar and Portugal. As such, many cite COTA as the ideal track for him to top the podium in Ducati colours.

The man himself, however, is less expectant of a victory challenge, Marquez instead eyeing his first full-length grand prix podium instead.

“We arrive at a good track from a riding style. In the past we have achieved many good results, but right now - as we saw at Portimao - there are still a few riders faster than me, so we will see if we can be a bit closer. 

“If I said today you said I’d achieve my first [Ducati] podium, then I would sign. But first I need to reach the podium before the win, so step-by-step.

“It is a completely different concept of bike. The Honda was super strong, as Alex Rins showed last year, the bike was working well. 

“Let’s see how the Ducati works here, I know it will be different but my target is the same.”