Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez went from Ducati’s nemesis to their hero in 2025, as the Spaniard won his seventh MotoGP title to date during his first season with the Borgo Panigale team.
The 32-year-old was the thorn in the Bologna Bullets’ side throughout his era of dominance with Honda from 2013 to 2019. Andrea Dovizioso especially felt the full force of Marquez as they fought toe-to-toe for the title each season from 2017 to 2019 and always lost the fight.
Marquez and Honda beat Dovizioso and Ducati to win the title in 2017 by 37 points, 2018 by 76 points and 2019 by 151 points. The Spaniard’s streak of success came to an abrupt end in 2020 after he sustained a career-threatening arm injury in the first race of the term at Jerez.
It took Marquez until 2025 and a move to the works Ducati team to win another title, which he sealed in record-breaking fashion. Marquez accepted that he had to leave Honda in 2023 and joined Gresini for 2024 to show himself that he could still compete on a satellite Ducati.
What do you expect Marc Marquez to achieve in 2026?
Luigi Dall’Igna feels Marc Marquez is a ‘very human person’ beyond an ‘alien’ rider
Marquez firmly established himself as one of MotoGP’s alien riders during his era of success for Honda. The Cervera native joined Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa as an alien rider, after quickly cementing his status as a legend of the premier class.
READ MORE: Marc Marquez’s first MotoGP title with Ducati was defined by five moments
But Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna believes it is wrong to simply see Marquez as an alien, as he is a “very human person” above all. Marquez impressed Dall’Igna during his first term in Borgo Panigale with how he built and grew his relationship with everyone at Ducati.
Dall’Igna said in the DAZN documentary, Volver: “We’re used to seeing Marc as an alien. But in reality, Marc isn’t like that at all.
“Marc is, first and foremost, a very human person who also knows how to manage relationships well with people and create a positive environment around them. And I think that’s very important in a competitive environment.”
Marc Marquez recognises the importance of his relationships with his mechanics
Should MotoGP implement Davide Brivio’s idea for a new qualifying format?
Ducati could only see the alien aspect of Marquez at the height of his dominance for Honda in 2019, when the Cervera native finished first or second whenever he took the chequered flag. Marquez registered 12 wins and six P2 finishes in 2019, having only retired in America.
But while Ducati profited from what makes Marquez an alien after he joined them this year, his skills off the bike left a big impression on Dall’Igna. Marquez won the 2025 MotoGP title with a record five rounds to spare, having taken 11 wins from the 18 Grands Prix he started.
Marquez invests a great amount of time in building and sustaining his relationships with his mechanics, as he recognises the importance of their role in his success. So, after taking the 2025 title, Marquez was quick to tell Ducati’s mechanics they were “perfect” in his title win.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
