Marco Bezzecchi
Luigi Dall’Igna heaped praise on the ‘amazing’ Alex Marquez after seeing him do something ‘from another era’ at the Dutch Grand Prix.
On Sunday, Trackhouse star Ai Ogura won the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen, claiming his first MotoGP victory by taking the chequered flag ahead of Raul Fernandez and Jorge Martin.
Following the top three were VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio and Gresini’s Marquez, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Dutch Grand Prix was Marquez’s first complete weekend in MotoGP since suffering a fractured C7 vertebrae and collarbone during the race in Barcelona.
Marquez was forced to withdraw from the Czech Grand Prix in order to continue his recovery in the best way possible.
In Assen, Marquez produced a brilliant performance, scoring vital points and even beating his brother Marc, who finished seventh.
Here’s our rider ratings after a chaotic Dutch Grand Prix! 👀 Which scores would you change?
Luigi Dall’Igna labels Alex Marquez ‘amazing’ after Dutch Grand Prix
Reacting to the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Ducati chief Dall’Igna was left mightily impressed by Marquez’s performance.
Taking to LinkedIn, the Italian labelled Marquez as a ‘veritable warrior’ and praised the Spaniard’s ‘heart and character’.
He also called Marquez’s ability to stay on Di Giannantonio’s tail in the closing stages of the Grand Prix as ‘something from another era’.
Dall’Igna wrote: “Ducati today is well represented by an awesome Di Giannantonio and an amazing Alex Marquez, not just because of their finishing spots but for the heart and character they showed with their performances.
“And Alex Marquez, a veritable warrior. An outstanding performance from him: after all he’s been through, finishing right on Diggia’s tail is something from another era. A brilliant fifth place that was actually fourth until the last lap.”
The top five are now separated by just 40 points! Who is your pick for the 2026 title?
READ MORE: Alex Marquez warns Fabio Di Giannantonio he’ll face consequences for his Marc Marquez move at Assen
However, Dall’Igna admitted it was a disappointing weekend for the factory Ducati team, with Marc coming home seventh and Francesco Bagnaia failing to finish the race due to a technical problem.
Looking ahead, the 59-year-old is adamant that Ducati will concentrate on the next challenge with a ‘positive attitude’ after experiencing a weekend that they are ‘not quite used to’.
Dall’Igna added: “So, a run-of-the-mill weekend goes by for us, something we’re not quite used to and that shouldn’t leave much of a mark, or at least no more than necessary.
“Matter of fact, one must take these days in one’s stride with the right level of awareness, never giving up, drawing the right conclusions and simply looking ahead with a positive attitude to the next challenge. Come on, Ducati!”
There will now be a short break in MotoGP before the 2026 season resumes with the German Grand Prix.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
