Follow us on

News

Giovanni Zamagni ‘didn’t expect’ one thing Marc Marquez had up his sleeve at the Thailand Grand Prix

Add as preferred source on Google

Marc Marquez was in imperious form as he dominated MotoGP’s season-opener in Thailand ahead of brother Alex and new teammate Francesco Bagnaia.

It was no secret that Ducati were expected to start the season as they finished in 2024, with an advantage at the front.

The surprise was just how much of a gap Marquez had to his rivals without ever having to go near his limits.

Maintaining the level of form he has just produced would produce a bit of a borefest for fans across the rest of the MotoGP campaign. It was particularly worrying that no one showed a sign of posing a real challenge to him at the Grand Prix of Thailand.

Bagnaia was ‘missing’ another level against Marquez and is aware that he needs to find an extra gear in time for the Argentina Grand Prix.

Sylvain Guintoli thinks it may take a while longer before the two are closely matched, with Bagnaia’s ‘first chance’ against Marquez coming in Qatar if form of old is anything to go by.

MotoGP Of Thailand - Race
Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images

Giovanni Zamagni ‘didn’t expect’ Marc Marquez’s great advantage in Thailand

After claiming pole by over one tenth of a second, Marquez then eased to victory in the sprint. It was a different story during the Grand Prix.

Tyre pressure warnings forced him to drop behind his brother’s Gresini bike, into the hot air of the bike in front.

He plotted his move for late in the race, where he eventually flew by with just a handful of laps to go and eased to victory.

READ MORE: Mat Oxley shares how Julia Marquez is privately feeling as sons battle at Thailand Grand Prix

Guintoli was worried by Marquez’s ‘body language’ as it indicated he had a lot more in the tank. Giovanni Zamagni agrees that his advantage over his rivals was surprising.

“An embarrassing superiority beyond all expectations, at least mine. I knew that Marc Marquez would dominate, he could dominate, but I didn’t expect that he would do it with this great advantage.

“Today, Marc Marquez gave a major beating to all his opponents. Naturally, first of all to his teammate Francesco Bagnaia, who in fact at the end of the race was very disappointed.”

Why Francesco Bagnaia is already ‘cooked’ in Marc Marquez battle

After one race, Marquez already has a 14-point lead over Bagnaia. That’s more than the entire margin he lost the 2024 title by (10 points).

If the upcoming tracks do see the Spaniard claim victory on multiple occasions, then it will probably be a case of damage limitation for his teammate. Second place finishes become a must.

Bagnaia is already cooked against Marquez according to Keith Huewen, and believes that the six-time champion is simply too mighty to overcome.

READ MORE: Peter Bom lists what makes Francesco Bagnaia ‘untouchable’ in his fight with Marc Marquez

It’s up to Ducati to keep their partnership going strong, and make sure that they do not clash on the track, which could happen if the pressure ramps up.

Bagnaia is afraid he’ll never discover Marquez’s ‘secret’ at Ducati, but even discovering how his teammate is so quick doesn’t mean that he will be able to replicate it.