Marco Bezzecchi
There are fears that Ducati may be stronger than they have ever been in MotoGP after a searing start to the 2025 season at the Sepang pre-season test.
Both Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia set some blistering race runs on the older GP24 chassis, as they mull over which engine to homologate ahead of the season.
Ducati has one key luxury over KTM and Aprilia, as they have two engines to choose from before a two-year freeze comes into effect. The GP25 is a largely unknown quantity and may not be as fast as its well-developed, but older GP24 counterpart currently.
There’s another test at Buriram before the season-opening Thailand Grand Prix in just over two weeks, allowing Ducati to gather some extra data before making their crucial decision.
Alex Marquez accused Ducati’s factory riders of lying after the Sepang test and believes that they pushed harder than they were willing to admit.
Bagnaia finished the final day of MotoGP’s first test of the season just 0.007s behind Gresini’s Marquez on the older machinery, with more speed to extract from the bike before the start of the campaign.
Marc Marquez felt ‘strange’ wearing Ducati’s red MotoGP colours for the first time
Bagnaia says Marquez has already done an incredible thing at Ducati after having the same feelings about their bike as him so far.
The six-time champion is going to need to adjust to his new bike quickly if he is to compete with his new teammate – a man who has been in the title fight for the last four seasons.
It’s widely expected to be a two-horse race between the riders for the championship, although there could be some surprise competition from the likes of Yamaha and KTM at some rounds.
Speaking in a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Marquez revealed how weird it was to wear red for the first time in photos with Ducati.
“Of course, as happened last year, part of last year was even harder to realise that I was riding for Gresini, with the colours that was not Repsol Honda,” he said.
“Only when you see the photos and you post the same photos with a new team, in the beginning, it’s a bit strange but red is the colour that I like it. Always my helmet and my gloves, boots, have been red. Now, everything is red.”
Francesco Bagnaia’s true feelings about Marc Marquez joining Ducati in 2025
The Ducati teammates are expected to be fierce rivals this season, but cannot afford to come to blows on track while they’re racing for the same cause.
Bagnaia’s true feelings about Marquez’s Ducati arrival is that he ‘trusts’ his team not to take away from his efforts to assist their new rider.
The two have clashed in the past, but appear to be working well together so far in a bid to bring the Italian manufacturer more success than they achieved in 2024. They won 36/40 races last season.
READ MORE: Uccio Salucci issues ‘brave’ verdict on Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez battle at Ducati
Ducati are facing a ‘secret’ problem before Bagnaia and Marquez’s battle, with their rivalry already searing before the start of the campaign.
The team’s leadership will have to take a strong stance and maintain good relations, otherwise, this dominant outfit could find themselves in a bit of a pickle.
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