Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati team manager has claimed that one ‘formidable’ MotoGP star was unlucky that he came up against Marc Marquez.
33-year-old Marquez is already a legend of the sport, having won seven MotoGP world titles during what has been an illustrious career.
The Spaniard won six of his seven titles while riding for Honda before winning the 2025 world championship with Ducati.
During his career, Marquez has made a habit of destroying his rivals, with team boss Tardozzi mentioning one ‘formidable’ rider that had the ‘misfortune’ of going up against the Spaniard.
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Speaking recently to Fanpage, Tardozzi spoke about Andrea Dovizioso, who finished second to Marquez for three consecutive seasons in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Tardozzi labelled Dovizioso as a ‘formidable’ rider who showed that he was ‘capable’ of beating Marquez, with the Italian getting the better of the Spaniard on 14 occasions.
However, Tardozzi did admit that it was clear that Marquez deserved to win the world championship during their rivalry.
He said: “Andrea’s main misfortune was simply coming up against Marc Marquez. He was a formidable rider, capable of beating Marc fourteen times and securing three runner-up finishes in the World Championship.
“He did his job to the very end. At the same time, one has to acknowledge that Marc deserved those titles.”
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Having worked with Marquez since 2024, Tardozzi spoke about how his view on the Spaniard has changed since he joined Ducati.
The 67-year-old went on to reveal the thing that ‘struck’ him the most, having admitted to ‘trading a few barbs’ when they were competitors.
Tardozzi was quick to praise the seven-time MotoGP champion’s human qualities, labelling him as ‘humble’.
The Italian added: “I’ve always had a great relationship with Marc, even when he was racing against us. We’d trade a few barbs now and then, but always with respect. What struck me most, however, was discovering his human side.
“We were all aware of his talent and his qualities as a rider, but working with him allowed me to get to know the person. Marc is humble and possesses impressive natural leadership.
“When he walks into the garage, everyone pays attention. When he speaks, everyone listens. He has a knack for leading the group spontaneously. That, too, is a form of talent.”
In 2026, Marquez has experienced a mixed bag of a season, having suffered a huge crash before returning in fine form to win in Hungary and Czechia.
Following a seventh-place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix last time out, the Spaniard currently sits fifth in the world championship standings, 40 points behind leader Jorge Martin.
The 2026 MotoGP season will resume this weekend with the German Grand Prix, which will take place at the Sachsenring.
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