With Marc Márquez’s arrival, Francesco Bagnaia will have the strongest teammate he’s ever had since debuting in MotoGP in 2019. Currently, Bagnaia manages to beat Márquez in direct duels, but there’s a slight difference – the rival is on a 2023 Ducati Desmosedici GP23 in the Gresini satellite team.
In 2025, both will be in the Ducati factory team, presenting a significant test for Bagnaia’s abilities. However, Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna dismisses the notion that the Italian has anything to prove, as he stated to Sky Sport:
– I don’t believe Pecco needs any more examinations. He has already amply demonstrated what he is capable of, he has already won two world titles, and he does fantastic things on the bike, like that start in the first two corners we saw in Mugello. Honestly, I don’t think Pecco has anything more to prove, he is our flagbearer, which is why we signed him before the championship began.
When asked if he sees Bagnaia and Márquez competing on an equal level, Dall’Igna replied: ‘I think so, they are both champions. Both have determination, both know how to suffer. Marc has suffered a lot in recent years, Pecco suffered last season and reacted. In those moments, you can see the champion’s spirit, and in my opinion, they will fight on equal terms’.
Dall’Igna is confident that Ducati will have a duo capable of continuing to contend for titles: ‘It is not a goal achieved; our goal has always been to win the World Championships, and having Marc and Pecco allows us to try to achieve these goals. Our competitors have now strengthened with the arrival of our current riders, so next season it will definitely be more complicated to be able to pursue that goal’.