Ducati satellite rider owes Marc Marquez an apology after claiming he was no longer an ‘alien’

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Marc Marquez is riding for the strongest manufacturer in MotoGP, so in that regard his 2025 dominance shouldn’t come as a surprise. The biggest threats came from within Ducati.

Francesco Bagnaia is a two-time world champion, Alex Marquez has made a transformative leap, Fermin Aldeguer is seen as MotoGP’s next superstar and both VR46 riders have won Grands Prix.

But Marquez has flattened them all. Even after missing the last two races through injury, he’s between 132 and 363 points ahead of his internal challengers.

The Spaniard has around three times as many wins (25) as the rest of Ducati’s riders put together (nine). He’s single-handedly responsible for 31 of the 86 podium finishes on Desmosedici motorcycles.

Fabio Di Giannantonio underestimated Marc Marquez in 2024

One of the riders who was hoping to put pressure on Marquez this year was Fabio di Giannantonio. Di Giannantonio, a VR46 rider on a Ducati contract, is riding a factory-spec GP25.

Speaking last year, when both riders were aboard a GP23, Di Giannantonio said he couldn’t see any ‘big differences’ when he studied Marquez. He no longer viewed him as an ‘alien’ talent who was out of reach.

He said, via TNT Sports: “I feel like I’m at an excellent level and while maybe in my debut in MotoGP I saw him a little more from afar, now I no longer see him as an alien.

“Obviously I have great respect for him because he is a champion and when he rides he has his magic, but I don’t see him as unattainable.

“I see him as a rival and even when I study him I don’t see big differences.”

Now, Marquez is nearly 350 points ahead of Di Giannantonio despite his injury absences, and the latter has yet to win on the GP25. Perhaps it’s time for rider #49 to apologise.

What has Fabio Di Giannantonio said about Marc Marquez’s 2025 performances?

Marquez took Di Giannantonio’s Gresini seat for 2024 after his bombshell Honda exit. ‘Diggia’ was left ‘stranded’ – he’d only just signed for a new home – but Luca Marini’s VR46 exit opened the door.

The GP24 looks like a superior bike in the hands of most riders, but Marquez has turned its successor into one of the most dominant motorcycles ever. Neither Di Giannantonio nor Bagnaia have been able to crack the code.

That, in itself, is proof that Marquez still merits ‘alien’ status, even as the second-oldest rider on the grid.

Di Giannantonio acknowledges that Marquez has been ‘incredible’ this year, pointing out that he won nearly 80% of the races before his title coronation.

He will be one of four riders on GP26 bikes next season, along with the factory duo and the upgraded Alex Marquez.