Gresini crew chief Frankie Carchedi, while not set to join Marc Marquez at Ducati in 2025, has shared his high expectations for the Spanish rider following his move to the factory Ducati team. Marquez secured the prestigious Ducati seat over eventual world champion Jorge Martin, after proving himself as the only GP23 rider capable of competing with the factory-spec GP24s in 2024.
The Spaniard’s impressive season included three Grand Prix wins, a sprint victory, and two pole positions, ultimately finishing third in the world championship. But in 2025, Marquez will face a tough new challenge, as he joins two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia as his teammate at Ducati.
During a recent episode of the Crash.net MotoGP podcast, Carchedi discussed his expectations for Marquez’s performance in the factory team. While he kept his comments reserved, Carchedi indicated that he has a clear vision of how Marquez will fare.
“Yeah, we’ll have a chat at the end of the year!” Carchedi smiled. “I don’t want to say too much, but I know exactly how I think it will go: Second year on [the Ducati], effectively a two-year upgrade in machinery… The guy got 20 podiums in 2024, so I’ll leave that one at that!”
Carchedi’s comments come as a stark contrast to the performance of other GP23 riders, who combined for just two podium finishes in the 2024 season – one each for Marco Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez.
The performance gap between Ducati’s GP24 machines, used by the Lenovo and Pramac teams, and the older GP23s, which were raced by Gresini and VR46, sparked much debate throughout the year. Carchedi addressed this on the podcast, explaining that Marquez’s focus was on competing with the other GP23 riders rather than comparing himself to riders on different machines.
“When Marc was at Honda, you couldn’t compare him with Yamahas, Ducatis, or other manufacturers,” said Carchedi. “It was the same this year. To finish ahead of two [GP24s, Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli] was incredible.”
Carchedi praised the Ducati engineers, noting their continuous improvement of the bike. “The Ducati engineers are on such a roll. They find a way to improve the bike every year,” he added. “All bikes have their strengths and weaknesses, but the Ducati continues to improve. Every year, the difference is there – sometimes it’s just one or two tenths, sometimes more.”
He also touched on the performance of the GP24, admitting that while Marquez’s experience with the Ducati was limited, the results were still impressive, with two pole positions and a strong qualifying performance.
“The difference between the GP23 and GP24 is significant, but Ducati keeps improving,” Carchedi explained. “Marc’s first time on the bike, facing riders who’ve been on it for years, it’s a challenge. But still, we had two pole positions, and we finished third in the ‘qualifying championship.’”
Looking ahead, Carchedi also reflected on the future of the MotoGP championship, including the rise of new champion Jorge Martin, who recently secured a title with Ducati before making a switch to Aprilia.
“You don’t win a world championship for free,” Carchedi said. “It’s great for MotoGP to have top riders at different manufacturers. We want all manufacturers to be competitive. It’s fantastic to have not just Martin, but also Enea [Bastianini] at KTM. It’ll make the championship more exciting.”
Carchedi’s insights underscore the shifting dynamics in MotoGP, as Ducati faces strong competition from rising stars and established champions alike. Marquez’s move to the factory Ducati team marks a new chapter in his illustrious career, and Carchedi’s confidence suggests that big things are expected from the #93 in 2025.
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