Ducati crew chief says surprising MotoGP rival has the exact same mentality as Marc Marquez

Add as preferred source on Google

Marc Marquez hasn’t quite been able to run away with this year’s MotoGP world championship just yet. Heading into this weekend’s Grand Prix of Italy at Mugello, he’s only 32 points ahead of his brother Alex.

While Marc’s margin is significant, it’s technically assailable in a single weekend. It doesn’t reflect the scale of his dominance in 2025.

Marquez has won four of the first eight races, or 11 of the first 16 including Sprints. But the championship may look like a foregone conclusion at this stage had he not fallen in Austin, where he eventually retired, and Jerez, where he could only manage 12th.

The old adage that ‘only Marquez can beat Marquez’ has perhaps come true. Thus, there is still room for improvement for the Ant of Cervera, even though he looks above the rest of the field when he’s upright.

Marco Rigamonti says Johann Zarco and Marc Marquez share a self-critical approach

In a recent interview, Marco Rigamonti expressed surprise at Marquez’s humility. The Ducati crew chief expected to encounter a rider with a larger ego after his move from Gresini.

Speaking to Giovanni Zamagni, Rigamonti has now provided more details about Marquez’s mentality. His first instinct is to look within when he underperforms, rather than pointing at the bike.

Rigamonti has also worked with Johann Zarco, who spent four seasons on Ducati machinery between 2020 and 2023. Zarco has only won two races, so it was surprising to hear the engineer compare him to a rider of Marquez’s stature.

“In the box, it’s almost a party,” Rigamonti said. “If there are good results, it’s certainly a celebration.

“But as a human, he’s someone else. A bit like Zarco, he questions himself a lot.

“Many times, he’ll say, if it’s not there, ‘it’s me not doing it as I should’. You don’t expect that [mindset] from someone like that.

“He questions himself a lot. He often prefers to work on himself, rather than perhaps modify something for a specific problem.”

Johann Zarco has made one decision that shows he doesn’t care about status

Due to turn 35 next month, Zarco is the oldest rider on the MotoGP grid. But he’s also been one of the most impressive this season.

Powered by his emotional victory at Le Mans, he’s currently the lead non-Ducati in the championship with 97 points. His mighty form at LCR inevitably led to talk of a promotion.

But Zarco is willing to forego a Honda factory seat on the grounds that he retains full support next season. That in turn could allow the team to sign Jorge Martin.

Despite his experience, Zarco is trying to learn from riders like Pedro Acosta. That willingness to embrace new techniques is clearly serving him well as his stock continues to climb.