Marc Marquez addresses Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost comparisons after joining Francesco Bagnaia at Ducati

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Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia are on good terms for now. Both Ducati riders have stressed the importance of working together to push the team forward ahead of the season-opening Thailand Grand Prix.

Ducati are expected to be dominant in 2025 after winning all but one Grand Prix last year. Davide Tardozzi is wary of Fabio Quartararo, but while Yamaha’s progress is impressive, they haven’t yet shown the kind of speed to seriously threaten.

GP24 riders Alex Marquez and Franco Morbidelli both caught the eye during the Sepang Test too. Until Ducati can refine their new bike, it may be that last year’s all-conquering machine is slightly quicker.

But when the season settles, it’s likely to be a Marquez vs Bagnaia title fight. The Spaniard beat out Jorge Martin for the spot at the factory squad after an excellent year at Gresini in 2024.

Bagnaia is a true ‘Ducatista’, having spent his entire career on their bikes. He started out at Pramac in 2019 before a promotion to the works team in 2021.

He’s won two world titles with the Bologna outfit, but now goes up against the most successful rider on the grid. Marquez’s haul of six premier-class championships leaves him just one shot of Valentino Rossi all-time.

Marc Marquez admits there are ‘similarities’ between Ducati duo and Ayrton Senna/Alain Prost

In an interview with AMCN, Marquez addressed comparisons between this year’s Ducati line-up and the Ayrton Senna/Alain Prost partnership at McLaren. Senna and Prost are both considered all-time Formula 1 greats.

The Brazilian arrived in 1988, and they immediately went head-to-head for the title. McLaren were almost unbeatable that year, winning 15 out of 16 Grands Prix, and Senna edged out Prost by three points.

The following year, the Frenchman exacted his revenge. The defining moment came in Japan, when the two drivers were involved in a race-ending collision, handing Prost the title.

The Senna-Prost rivalry was one of the most intense in F1 history, and many hope for a repeat in MotoGP this season. For now, Marquez believes that Bagnaia should be the favourite.

“I know that story,” he said. “And of course there are some similarities.”

“At the moment Pecco is a bit faster than me. Not only because of his bike, also because he knows the bike better.”

Francesco Bagnaia absolutely loves one thing Marc Marquez has done at Ducati MotoGP team

Bagnaia retains ‘trust’ in Ducati after Marquez’s arrival, team manager Davide Tardozzi says. He knows his treatment won’t suffer even with a legendary figure alongside him.

Instead, Tardozzi claims that Bagnaia views it as a positive step. It makes Ducati even more formidable after they crushed the opposition last season.

If things become toxic in the garage, then perhaps the hierarchy will regret their decision. But signing Martin, Bagnaia’s former title rival, would have carried similar risks.

Besides, it has been a constructive relationship so far. Bagnaia says Marquez has been offering the same feedback in testing, an ‘incredible’ development after disagreements with his old teammates.