Source: Cycle World
It’s official: Marc Márquez will race on a factory Ducati in 2025 and 2026. (Marc Marquez/)Now, it’s official: Marc Márquez will join the factory Ducati team starting 2025 on a two-year deal. The announcement arrived Wednesday morning, following a Sunday afternoon decision at Mugello. Francesco Bagnaia won in the home GP in front of a fantastic effort by Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martín. Márquez took fourth for the day and third in the world championship, 35 points back from leader Martín.Despite Ducati’s promise to Martín in Barcelona that he would race in red if Márquez was not world champion at the end of the 2024 season, the situation radically changed during the Italian GP race weekend. Borgo Panigale made a 180 and bet everything on 93.Putting Márquez in factory colors would be a massive storyline and a commercial opportunity for Ducati worldwide—this isn’t new information. But at the same time Martín is leading the world championship, as he did in 2023 to finish second only in the grand finale in Valencia.“In the past months and days I have changed my mind several times,” Ducati Corse general manager Luigi Dall’Igna said to Italian TV Sky. “It was a complicated decision taken on Sunday afternoon at Mugello after the race,” Gigi admitted, but “Márquez can make the difference with the Ducati. Our bike has reached incredible levels, so having two riders like Márquez and Bagnaia in the factory team increases the chances of winning the world championship, which is our goal. As Max Biaggi used to say, anything can happen in racing, so having two riders capable of fighting for the title is the best thing.”As for the choice of the six-time MotoGP champion, he added: “The choice was purely sporting, even if there are those in the company who look at marketing. In the world, Marc has many fans, perhaps less in Italy.” He added, “Marc is divisive: There are those who love him a lot and those who hate him a lot. But with him we’ll have the best team in the history of Ducati and more chances to win the world championship. Bagnaia and Márquez will fight it out on equal terms.”Márquez and Bagnaia: teammates in 2025. (MotoGP/)For sure, Márquez joining Ducat is the biggest move that will have consequences in 2025. We talked with team manager Davide Tardozzi, who will have the difficult task of managing two roosters in the henhouse that together count 11 world titles.First of all, congratulations for the lineup. Ducati’s decision turned the 2025 MotoGP rider market inside out over 24 hours at Mugello, creating a domino effect: Martín signed for Aprilia, Bastianini with KTM.“We are really sorry to lose Martín and Enea, two strong riders in which we believe a lot. Jorge is leading the championship and Enea did great things with us: first in the satellite team and then in red. But he was unlucky last year with the incident he had in the first race and couldn’t fully recover until the end of last season. We would love to keep them, but in the end we had to make a choice.”What was Pecco’s reaction to this news?“Pecco has often repeated that he hopes to keep the existing harmony in the garage, so his concern is there will be situations that could damage this atmosphere in the garage. This is also our priority. We don’t think that Marc’s presence can create problems inside the Ducati garage. We think we are able to manage two champions like Marc and Pecco.”Can you explain the timeline with this rapid-fire change of positions?“In reality we have always said that we will make an announcement once the decision was made; the rest are speculations spread from the media. Then of course we have spoken with the managers of the riders, made discussions and proposals, but till there is the signature it is not done. The final decision was taken on Sunday after the race, as Gigi Dall’Igna said.”What is the key factor that made Ducati choose Márquez instead of Martín?“Marc’s ability to adapt very quickly to the bike and his performance since the beginning of the season. Then, it’s clear that it’s a pity that we have had to say no to Jorge. We tried to keep both riders until it was no longer possible and we were at a crossroads.”Marc’s eight world titles counted.“Of course, he is the racer with more titles on the grid, but this doesn’t distract our focus from the world champion. Pecco has our total trust, he has given the guidelines for the bike development in the last years so Pecco is our priority; he comes before everyone. Then we thought of giving him the best possible teammate.”Davide Tardozzi says that Ducati’s goal was to give Bagnaia the best possible teammate. (Ducati/)Gigi Dall’Igna said that the development is never done by a single rider.“It’s true, Marc is already giving us feedback and comments and we are taking them into consideration. But if the bike is at this competitive level, a great part of the merit goes to Pecco.”Marc has a strong personality and is divisive. Quoting Dall’Igna, “you love him or you hate him.” In Italy, the memory of Sepang is still alive. How did Ducatisti react to Marc’s announcement?“We have to say that the facts in Sepang date back to almost 10 years ago. We look at the rider’s performance and his ability to develop the bike together with Pecco and win titles. We look ahead, to the future, not to the past. Moreover, in the sport there are the fans who follow a single racer, and then the Ducati fans who follow the brand—this is so special and we are very proud and honored to have them.”Márquez’s quick adaptation to the Ducati was just one factor in the decision to sign him for 2025 and 2026. (MotoGP/)Bagnaia is a VR46 rider. How do you see the relationship between Pecco and Marc?“It’s true that Pecco is a rider of Valentino Rossi’s Academy, but he is a solid champion in himself. Our priority is that the atmosphere in the garage will remain harmonious as it is nowadays. It’s my task to maintain it.”Martín was angry and frustrated by Ducati’s decision. How will you manage the rest of the 2024 season?“Gigi (Dall’Igna) said it clearly and I stress it again: Martín will have everything he needs to win as it has been till now. He will have everything to fight for the title.” Ducati put itself in a difficult position with the title in contention between Martín, Bagnaia, and Márquez.“We don’t have to rule out Bastiniani for the title fight. It’s true that we have everything to win this year and it’s a package of a very competitive bike and strong riders racing with us.”Márquez bet everything on himself—refusing to go to Pramac. And in this arm wrestling with Ducati, Marc won.“Ducati’s choice was made according to the results, the value of the riders, and the chances for the future, not according to what Marc said or didn’t say.”Finally, who will win this year’s MotoGP World Championship?“The season is still long and many things may happen. Martín is leading, while Pecco has shown how strong he is. He carries the No. 1 and we hope he can confirm it for a third time.”
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It’s official: Marc Márquez will race on a factory Ducati in 2025 and 2026. (Marc Marquez/)
Now, it’s official: Marc Márquez will join the factory Ducati team starting 2025 on a two-year deal. The announcement arrived Wednesday morning, following a Sunday afternoon decision at Mugello. Francesco Bagnaia won in the home GP in front of a fantastic effort by Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martín. Márquez took fourth for the day and third in the world championship, 35 points back from leader Martín.
Despite Ducati’s promise to Martín in Barcelona that he would race in red if Márquez was not world champion at the end of the 2024 season, the situation radically changed during the Italian GP race weekend. Borgo Panigale made a 180 and bet everything on 93.
Putting Márquez in factory colors would be a massive storyline and a commercial opportunity for Ducati worldwide—this isn’t new information. But at the same time Martín is leading the world championship, as he did in 2023 to finish second only in the grand finale in Valencia.
“In the past months and days I have changed my mind several times,” Ducati Corse general manager Luigi Dall’Igna said to Italian TV Sky. “It was a complicated decision taken on Sunday afternoon at Mugello after the race,” Gigi admitted, but “Márquez can make the difference with the Ducati. Our bike has reached incredible levels, so having two riders like Márquez and Bagnaia in the factory team increases the chances of winning the world championship, which is our goal. As Max Biaggi used to say, anything can happen in racing, so having two riders capable of fighting for the title is the best thing.”
As for the choice of the six-time MotoGP champion, he added: “The choice was purely sporting, even if there are those in the company who look at marketing. In the world, Marc has many fans, perhaps less in Italy.” He added, “Marc is divisive: There are those who love him a lot and those who hate him a lot. But with him we’ll have the best team in the history of Ducati and more chances to win the world championship. Bagnaia and Márquez will fight it out on equal terms.”
Márquez and Bagnaia: teammates in 2025. (MotoGP/)
For sure, Márquez joining Ducat is the biggest move that will have consequences in 2025. We talked with team manager Davide Tardozzi, who will have the difficult task of managing two roosters in the henhouse that together count 11 world titles.
First of all, congratulations for the lineup. Ducati’s decision turned the 2025 MotoGP rider market inside out over 24 hours at Mugello, creating a domino effect: Martín signed for Aprilia, Bastianini with KTM.
“We are really sorry to lose Martín and Enea, two strong riders in which we believe a lot. Jorge is leading the championship and Enea did great things with us: first in the satellite team and then in red. But he was unlucky last year with the incident he had in the first race and couldn’t fully recover until the end of last season. We would love to keep them, but in the end we had to make a choice.”
What was Pecco’s reaction to this news?
“Pecco has often repeated that he hopes to keep the existing harmony in the garage, so his concern is there will be situations that could damage this atmosphere in the garage. This is also our priority. We don’t think that Marc’s presence can create problems inside the Ducati garage. We think we are able to manage two champions like Marc and Pecco.”
Can you explain the timeline with this rapid-fire change of positions?
“In reality we have always said that we will make an announcement once the decision was made; the rest are speculations spread from the media. Then of course we have spoken with the managers of the riders, made discussions and proposals, but till there is the signature it is not done. The final decision was taken on Sunday after the race, as Gigi Dall’Igna said.”
What is the key factor that made Ducati choose Márquez instead of Martín?
“Marc’s ability to adapt very quickly to the bike and his performance since the beginning of the season. Then, it’s clear that it’s a pity that we have had to say no to Jorge. We tried to keep both riders until it was no longer possible and we were at a crossroads.”
Marc’s eight world titles counted.
“Of course, he is the racer with more titles on the grid, but this doesn’t distract our focus from the world champion. Pecco has our total trust, he has given the guidelines for the bike development in the last years so Pecco is our priority; he comes before everyone. Then we thought of giving him the best possible teammate.”
Davide Tardozzi says that Ducati’s goal was to give Bagnaia the best possible teammate. (Ducati/)
Gigi Dall’Igna said that the development is never done by a single rider.
“It’s true, Marc is already giving us feedback and comments and we are taking them into consideration. But if the bike is at this competitive level, a great part of the merit goes to Pecco.”
Marc has a strong personality and is divisive. Quoting Dall’Igna, “you love him or you hate him.” In Italy, the memory of Sepang is still alive. How did Ducatisti react to Marc’s announcement?
“We have to say that the facts in Sepang date back to almost 10 years ago. We look at the rider’s performance and his ability to develop the bike together with Pecco and win titles. We look ahead, to the future, not to the past. Moreover, in the sport there are the fans who follow a single racer, and then the Ducati fans who follow the brand—this is so special and we are very proud and honored to have them.”
Márquez’s quick adaptation to the Ducati was just one factor in the decision to sign him for 2025 and 2026. (MotoGP/)
Bagnaia is a VR46 rider. How do you see the relationship between Pecco and Marc?
“It’s true that Pecco is a rider of Valentino Rossi’s Academy, but he is a solid champion in himself. Our priority is that the atmosphere in the garage will remain harmonious as it is nowadays. It’s my task to maintain it.”
Martín was angry and frustrated by Ducati’s decision. How will you manage the rest of the 2024 season?
“Gigi (Dall’Igna) said it clearly and I stress it again: Martín will have everything he needs to win as it has been till now. He will have everything to fight for the title.”
Ducati put itself in a difficult position with the title in contention between Martín, Bagnaia, and Márquez.
“We don’t have to rule out Bastiniani for the title fight. It’s true that we have everything to win this year and it’s a package of a very competitive bike and strong riders racing with us.”
Márquez bet everything on himself—refusing to go to Pramac. And in this arm wrestling with Ducati, Marc won.
“Ducati’s choice was made according to the results, the value of the riders, and the chances for the future, not according to what Marc said or didn’t say.”
Finally, who will win this year’s MotoGP World Championship?
“The season is still long and many things may happen. Martín is leading, while Pecco has shown how strong he is. He carries the No. 1 and we hope he can confirm it for a third time.”
