Francesco Bagnaia reveals his ‘pact’ with Marc Marquez after Ducati formed MotoGP’s power couple

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Ducati boast MotoGP’s power couple after signing Marc Marquez to partner Francesco Bagnaia for a rider line-up expected to likely alone fight to win the 2025 championship.

First blood went Marquez’s way at Buriram as the six-time MotoGP champion began his new life in red at the Thai Grand Prix in dominant fashion. The 32-year-old claimed pole position, won the Sprint Race and won the main event to claim only the second hat-trick of his career.

Bagnaia was seldom a threat to Marquez as the two-time riders’ champion trailed his partner through all three sessions. The Italian finished qualifying facing a 0.173 second deficit to the Spaniard, ended the Sprint 3.423s back in P3 and finished the main race 2.398s back in P3.

Francesco Bagnaia has a ‘pact’ with Marc Marquez to learn his secrets for left-hand turns

Gresini rider Alex Marquez on his Desmosedici GP24 also split the factory Ducati duo during all three sessions, as Marquez left Bagnaia looking defeated at Buriram after just the first of 22 rounds. MotoGP heads back to the Argentina Grand Prix after a year away for round two.

Marquez is the joint-most successful rider in the history of the Argentina GP with three wins for Honda in 2014, 2016 and 2019. Only Mick Doohan, also for Honda, boasts three premier class wins at the Argentina GP yet with victories in the 1994, 1995 and 1998 500cc meets.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

Bagnaia has never won an Argentina GP in any world championship class, so may now hope to lean on his ‘pact’ with Marquez to share each other’s secrets for success in right and left-hand corners respectively. Few riders in history have been as strong as Marquez in left turns.

“Marc and I have a pact,” Bagnaia shared, via quotes by Motosan. “He tells me his secret for those and I tell him mine for the right turns.”

Why is Marc Marquez so strong at left-hand corners?

Marquez’s strength in left-hand corners may be key for the 2025 Argentina GP as his internal fight for power at Ducati against Bagnaia continues. The sweeping, left-hand Turns 6 and 11 are two of the most important corners at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo on each lap.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend

Few riders have perfected left-hand turns like Marquez due to most circuits on the MotoGP calendar either being run clockwise or built predominantly with right-hand turns. He is also in a class of one at the German Grand Prix due to the Sachsenring’s left-hand heavy layout.

Bagnaia will now strive to learn how Marquez carries a higher lean angle through left-hand corners as teammates at Ducati. Their ‘pact’ also offers the Spaniard a chance to learn how he can better attack right-hand corners as Marquez adapts to his Ducati Desmosedici GP25.