Gigi Dall’Igna and Ducati’s management have been forewarned about the challenging task of maintaining team harmony with Marc Marquez joining the 2025 MotoGP lineup.
Marc Marquez, set to be Pecco Bagnaia’s factory teammate, creates a formidable duo for Ducati. However, this raises concerns about managing two championship-caliber riders who may view each other as their primary rival.
“It’s going to be tough for the Ducati management,” Sylvain Guintoli told TNT Sports. “They have to manage the situation. In a top team you want a top guy, and a guy who won’t be trouble. It’s normally what teams do because it works. When you get two strong characters – on and off track – it will be feisty. There will be fireworks. It will be interesting to understand the dynamics. Ducati made massive sacrifices to get Marquez into the factory team.”
Marquez recently made headlines at his first World Ducati Week, where his last-corner overtake of Nicolo Bulega in the Race of Champions led to Bulega crashing into the gravel.
Initially, Jorge Martin seemed destined for the 2025 factory Ducati seat until Marquez insisted that moving to Pramac (which could offer him a factory bike) was “not an option.” Consequently, Martin was overlooked in favor of Marquez, sparking an exodus of talent from Ducati. Pramac’s Martin and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi have signed with Aprilia for next year, Enea Bastianini is moving to Tech3 KTM, and Pramac will transition to a Yamaha project. However, Ducati secured their No. 1 choice: Marquez.
Neil Hodgson of TNT Sports commented on the selection of Marquez: “There are arguments for and against. They have invested a lot of money into Martin so you assume he would get the factory seat. But the reality is, it’s a unique situation with an eight-time champion, the phenomenon that is Marquez. Marc has never been beaten by a teammate, and he’s had some good teammates – Pedrosa, Lorenzo. He’s destroyed everybody. He is super confident and genuinely doesn’t care who his teammate will be. He just wants equal machinery. It is going to be fireworks, it will be great to watch.”
The potential issue arises if Bagnaia and Marquez compete for the 2025 championship, forcing Ducati to manage their priorities.
“I don’t believe one will have his own way,” Guintoli said. “It will be up and down, there will be setbacks, they will take risks to beat each other.”
Hodgson added: “They could cost each other the championship, and somebody else could pick up the pieces. We have seen that before.”
The current season resumes next weekend at Silverstone for the British MotoGP. Bagnaia leads the standings, 10 points ahead of Martin and 56 points ahead of Marquez.
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