MotoGP paddock figures don’t want to ‘go public’ with their prediction for Marc Marquez vs Francesco Bagnaia

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The battle between Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia at Ducati is set to take the 2025 MotoGP season by storm.

The latter will be looking to regain the riders’ championship after losing out to Jorge Martin. Bagnaia won 11 races in 2024 but was beaten by the Pramac rider by just 10 points.

Martin was told he would get the second Ducati seat next to Bagnaia for 2025. But the defending champion was snubbed by fellow Spaniard Marquez due to his ‘beastly’ pull as a six-time champion.

Marquez’s arrival will present a huge challenge for Bagnaia in 2025. The Italian was mostly unchallenged by Enea Bastianini last season and he will have to up his game against the Spaniard.

Many paddock figures think Marc Marquez will ‘take Francesco Bagnaia apart’ but don’t want to go public with that opinion

Ducati fans are excited to see Marquez in red after the team unveiled their 2025 bike on Monday. The Bologna-based outfit are hoping to continue their dominance in 2024 after winning the team’s championship by 203 points.

Ducati have a ‘huge responsibility’ to give Marquez and Bagnaia a competitive bike with the former’s arrival. The six-time champion is in the best possible position to win a seventh title in 2025 after leaving Honda.

Who will come out on top between Marquez and Bagnaia at Ducati will be on everyone’s mind heading into the first race of the season in Thailand. But it seems some have already made their predictions.

READ MORE: Marc Marquez names the one big similarity between himself and Lewis Hamilton after Ducati move

Journalist Mat Oxley says many ‘experienced’ people in the MotoGP paddock think Marquez will ‘take Bagnaia apart’ in 2025. However, they ‘don’t want to go public’ with that verdict.

He said via Motor Sport Magazine: “Many experienced paddock and pitlane people I talk with tell me Márquez will indeed take Bagnaia apart this season (but they don’t want to go public with that opinion!). On one hand, I agree. On the other, no one actually knows.

“Bagnaia may not have the sublime natural talent his new team-mate enjoys but he’s a worker and a learner”.

What have other key figures said about the Marc Marquez vs Francesco Bagnaia debate?

After Martin’s move to Aprilia for 2025, in theory, Bagnaia is the favourite for the title. The Italian will be looking to put the hurt of 2024 behind him and grab his third championship.

But it appears the events of last season are still playing on the 28-year-old’s mind. Bagnaia was even thinking about his mistakes on his honeymoon and he could not escape the feeling of losing the title.

Valentino Rossi is tipping Bagnaia for the 2025 title, but he will not have it easy against Marquez. The Spaniard’s third place finish in 2024 proves he still can fight at the front.

The six-time champion is already looking to make an impact at Ducati. Reserve rider Michele Pirro was in awe of Marquez’s data as he could not believe how he brakes for left turns.

The 31-year-old will be eager to take his chance with Ducati and win a seventh championship. But Bagnaia will present one of his toughest challenges yet in the premier class.