Marco Bezzecchi
After leaving Honda at the end of the 2023 MotoGP season, Marc Marquez has become a factory rider once again for 2025.
The 31-year-old enjoyed incredible success with Honda as he won six championships with the Japanese manufacturer between 2013 and 2019.
However, the Spaniard endured a torrid end to his time with the team. He registered the lowest finish of his career in 2023 with 14th, prompting him to leave Honda at the end of the year to join satellite Ducati team Gresini.
Marquez does not regret the timing of his Honda exit as he quickly moved on to his new challenge – and he enjoyed immediate success. He won three races and grabbed 10 podiums with Gresini in 2024 and finished third in the standings.
His performances prompted a move to the factory Ducati team for 2025. Jorge Martin was told he would join Ducati after winning the 2024 title with Pramac, but the team snubbed him in favour of six-time champion Marquez.
Now, the 31-year-old finds himself in a great position to fight for a seventh title. But he will have his work cut out going up against Francesco Bagnaia.
Davide Barana wants to see Marc Marquez brake late like Francesco Bagnaia
Bagnaia has been with the factory Ducati team since 2021 and has finished in the top two of the championship since he joined. The 28-year-old won the MotoGP title in 2022 and 2023.
The Italian won 11 races last year but his three retirements proved costly for his title chances. He ultimately lost to Martin by 10 points.
Heading into 2025, Bagnaia is the clear favourite for the championship after Martin joined Aprilia from Pramac. But Marquez’s performances in 2024 prove he will be capable of giving the Italian a tough time,
Ducati engineer Davide Barana believes Marquez has the talent and ‘intelligence’ to be a world champion. However, speaking with Marca, he would like to see the Spaniard ‘brake very hard’ in races – something that is a key strength for Bagnaia.
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“His strong point is cornering, he has a sensitivity in the front tyre that I think is what allows him to go very close to the limit of the bike. In fact, sometimes he exceeds this limit, but he usually does it in training, there he takes measures,” he said.
“With the Ducati he falls much less. He is a very complete rider. Let’s see if we can get him to brake very hard, which Pecco already does and is also a characteristic of Marc.
“As a person, you can see that he is a very intelligent boy, he is not just strong or talented. The riders who win a World Championship do not only have talent. They also have intelligence, the ability to work, to understand situations, to manage a team, to motivate it.
“They are also a bit of a leader, it is not enough just to get on a bike. As soon as you see him, you get that impression”.
How have Ducati fans taken to Marc Marquez’s arrival?
Bagnaia says Marquez’s arrival to Ducati is ‘very beautiful’, but there would have been some concerns from the Spaniard about the reception from the fans.
Marquez’s relationship with the Bologna-based outfit has been tense at times, particularly during his rivalry with Valentino Rossi. The 31-year-old received some whistles from Ducati fans when he was on the podium at Misano last year.
While some of the ‘Tifosi’ will never forget the past, it seems the vast majority have moved on. This is clear by the fact fans were clamouring to see Marquez dressed in red for the first time at Ducati’s 2025 bike launch.
Fans welcomed Marquez in person at the team’s traditional skiing event. This will be a huge sigh of relief for the 31-year-old and more confidence for him going into 2025.
The six-time champion will likely have a machine capable of winning the title, but he is keeping his targets to himself. Marquez ‘tried quite hard’ not to say he is a title contender in 2025 as he looks to finish in the top three.
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