Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali once said that Marc Marquez wasn’t ‘right’ for their MotoGP team. He was speaking in 2023, only a few months before his move to Gresini was announced.
Domenicali told Sky that, while Marquez was ‘an extraordinary talent’, they would continue with the line-up they had. He claimed he was satisfied with their ‘amazing group of riders’.
Something changed between June and October, though. Marquez agreed to ride a year-old bike at satellite squad Gresini, walking away from Honda after their dynastic run between 2013 and 2019.
The following season, Ducati announced that Marquez would replace Enea Bastianini as Francesco Bagnaia’s teammate. He beat Pramac rider Jorge Martin to the seat.
It was a controversial call at the time but the debate has already been forgotten. Marquez has made a perfect start at the Bologna outfit – two poles, two Sprint wins and two Grand Prix victories in two events.
Claudio Domenicali insists Ducati were ‘careful’ before signing Marc Marquez
GPOne reminded Domenicali of his 2023 remarks in a recent interview. They wanted him to explain why he changed his mind.
Attempting to save face, the 59-year-old insisted that Ducati had considered the situation ‘carefully’. He was impressed by what Marquez did at Gresini, where he won three Grands Prix and scored nearly 400 points.
Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi has previously been critical of Marquez, suggesting he took too many risks on the bike. They discussed those comments in private, and now the 32-year-old appears to be riding with a greater degree of caution.
“If we now have Marc with us, it’s because we made a choice that was carefully assessed,” Domenicali said. “We did it, also thinking about the overall performance we could achieve.
“Last year, his performance was a great reference. We made our observations and thought it was a great choice.”
Davide Tardozzi doesn’t want Marc Marquez to get carried away – he has two concerns
Domenicali and co. have been impressed by their new signing’s attitude, in addition to his performances. Ducati insiders say Marquez has already been more thankful than Bastianini, a pointed dig at his predecessor.
Whatever happens from here, he’ll always be associated most of all with Honda. But Marquez could beat Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP records at Ducati, which one be one of the most significant moments in the sport’s history.
Indeed, there are already signs that this year’s championship could be a procession. Alex Marquez put his brother under some pressure in Argentina, but he could fall away as Ducati develop this year’s bike.
However, Tardozzi has warned Marquez not to feel too comfortable. He expects a response from Bagnaia at stronger circuits and also thinks the return of Martin at Aprilia will pose a ‘true test’.
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