Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati knew exactly what they were getting when they signed Marc Marquez in 2025, but even then, he still surprised the team.
The Spaniard wanted a factory Ducati seat after spending 2024 at Gresini. He was determined to win again in MotoGP after several injury setbacks at Honda.
In 2025, Marquez was expected to fight teammate Francesco Bagnaia for the title, but in the end, there was no competition. The former dominated the season, winning 25 races, including Sprints, and wrapped up his seventh MotoGP championship in Japan.
What would MotoGP have done without Marc Marquez?
Luigi Dall’Igna said it was ‘impossible’ to predict Marquez’s season going the way that it did. Ducati knew that they had an exceptional rider on their hands, but even the team did not expect such dominance.
His adaptation to the Borgo Panigale outfit was also seamless. Marquez knew everyone’s name at Ducati before his first day with the team, and has since turned into a true leader in the garage.
Davide Tardozzi says Marc Marquez can tell Ducati what he wants ‘without speaking’
Marquez was not only a brilliant talent and personality on the track, but also off of it. Marquez told Ducati how to ‘protect’ Bagnaia during his struggles in 2025, as he could not adapt to the GP25.
Furthermore, he showed why he was a strong leader in the team, even without saying anything. Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi shared how Marquez could communicate with his engineers with just a simple look.
He told El Periodico: “If a rider wants to win, if he wants to be champion, if he wants to take his brand, his team, to the top of the podium, he must not only ride well, be brave, tenacious, take risks, be decisive, he must be the leader of the project.
“And Marc often exercises that leadership without speaking. Marc enters the pits after a practice session or race, and his team, just with a look, understands him, knows what he’s going to say, comment on, or suggest. Marc is a leader even when he’s not speaking.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend
Davide Tardozzi says Marc Marquez has been a ‘breath of fresh air’ at Ducati
Marquez is set to stay at Ducati after reportedly signing a new two-year contract at the team’s 2026 presentation at Madonna di Campiglio. Tardozzi says the 32-year-old has been a revelation for the factory team.
“Absolutely, I definitely believe that,” he said. “He’s brought a breath of fresh air, a different way of looking at races, of planning and executing them.
“And above all, he brings tremendous serenity and calm, especially at times when everyone has problems and doubts, which are always there, even when things are going well.
“It’s in those moments that his personality, his smile, and the way he analyses difficult situations allow Ducati, the team, everyone, to resolve the problems that arise with greater skill and speed.”
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