Marc Marquez has officially started his tenure as a factory Ducati rider in 2025 by hitting the track on Ducati’s latest creation, the 2025 Panigale V2. The eight-time World Champion took to the Aspar Circuit in Valencia, testing the all-new bike alongside other notable Grand Prix talents.
The Panigale V2, equipped with Ducati’s lightest-ever V-twin engine, marks a shift in design, boasting reduced power compared to its predecessor but compensating with significantly lower weight. This innovative machine provided Marquez with his first on-track experience aboard a Ducati road bike for training purposes, having relied on unbranded Hondas during his off-season preparation last year.
Sharing the track with Marquez were a formidable group of riders, including reigning Moto3 World Champion David Alonso on a Yamaha R6, and other notable names like Dani Holgado, Izan Guevara, Tony Arbolino, Alex Marquez, and Sergio Garcia on 2017-spec R6s. Rising stars Max Quiles and Angel Piqueras joined them on Honda CBR600RRs, making it a talent-rich training day.
Marquez’s teammate, reigning MotoGP Champion Francesco Bagnaia, typically trains with the Panigale V4 R superbike. While Marquez has yet to adopt this model for training, he did ride it competitively during last year’s Race of Champions at World Ducati Week, showcasing the Panigale V4’s new 2025 variant.
Off the tarmac, Marquez continues to train on Honda CRF motocross bikes, though this may change with Ducati’s Desmo450 MX dirt bike entering production later this year, potentially signaling a full transition to Ducati equipment across all disciplines.
Marquez’s track session at the Aspar Circuit underscores his readiness to embrace his new chapter with Ducati, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting 2025 MotoGP season.
Leave a Reply