Marco Bezzecchi
Daniel Holgado has explained the simple reason why he can’t wait to be racing atop the same MotoGP bike as Marc Marquez upon the current Moto2 star’s arrival at Gresini Racing next year.
Holgado’s step up to MotoGP was confirmed last week, with the three-time Moto2 Grand Prix winner set to share a garage with Joan Mir as Gresini Racing debuts a brand-new line-up for the premier class’s new era of regulations next year.
What do you think Dani Holgado will achieve in MotoGP?
The 21-year-old has now detailed his deep excitement for his new role, and while it remains to be seen which brand will be at the top of the pecking order next year, Holgado may be in the best position out of all of his fellow Moto2 graduates.
- READ MORE: Who is Daniel Holgado? Everything to know about Moto2 rider set for 2027 MotoGP debut with Gresini
Daniel Holgado is relishing the opportunity to learn from Marc Marquez’s data
In a recent interview with Diario AS, the future Gresini rider was asked about the reason he accepted an offer from the Italian satellite team despite being on the radar of some teams who could have perhaps offered the young Spaniard more financial gain.
Months before confirmation of his move to Gresini was announced, it emerged that Holgado had rejected Yamaha’s offer regarding a potential factory ride with the Japanese brand or a seat at their own satellite team, Pramac Racing.
MotoGP is expecting to see several Moto2 riders step up in 2027, but who will be the first to win a race?
“There might have been some better offers financially, but in the end, Pol [Espargaro] and I never really looked at the money,” the Alicante-born rider said. “It’s not the time to be thinking about it. I’m very young, and we’ve always looked at what’s best for me, what’s best for the present.
“Of the options I had, none were better than Gresini and being with Ducati. Pol is very supportive and gives me advice, but my decision is my decision, right? In the end, what a rider feels is what drives them to do what they do.
“And then, the people around me can give me advice, they can help me, but all my people were also with me and had a lot of faith in that decision. That also led me to be completely confident in that offer.”
The reason for Holgado’s confidence is simple: he wants to be able to learn from what Marc Marquez’s data can offer him on a similar bike to what the reigning world champion is currently riding.
- READ MORE: MotoGP’s 2027 regulations explained from 850cc engines and aerodynamic changes to new Pirelli tyres
Ducati are expected to remodel the GP26 in line with the new technical regulations that are set to shake up the grid in 2027.
“I’m very happy to be riding such a good bike as the Ducati is right now and to be sharing telemetry and data with riders like Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta, Fermin Aldeguer, and Joan Mir,” he continued. “They’re riders I’m going to learn a lot from.
“I couldn’t be in a better place because the people around me—not just the engineers and such, but also my rivals—I think are going to help me improve a lot. I say this because I’ll be able to study and analyse them. I think I’m going to be in a great place to improve.”
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
