The arrival of Marc Marquez at Ducati has made the 2025 MotoGP season one of the most hotly anticipated campaigns of all time.
Marquez’s impending rivalry with new teammate Francesco Bagnaia is set to be the storyline to follow in the new season, and it is already expected that one of the two will emerge as the 2025 champion at the end of the scheduled 22 rounds of racing.
While the GP25 has big shoes to fill after its predecessor earned a staggering 16 grand prix victories last campaign, Ducati are likely to remain the dominant force in MotoGP as its pairing seek to prove why they are the best in the sport right now. General manager Gigi Dall’igna has branded the rider lineup as the “best team in Ducati history” and both riders are prepared to live up to this expectation in the new season.
Bagnaia will be looking to respond after missing out on a third world title in 2024 due to costly errors. Despite his clear dominance in Sunday races, the Sprints were littered with errors which saw him second-best to Jorge Martin in the championship fight, but he will be looking to bounce back against one of the greatest riders in the history of the sport.
Marquez joins Ducati after a stellar season with the Gresini team, but comes into 2025 with arguably the most pressure and the biggest expectation on his shoulders. Though he has previously downplayed the chance of immediate success with Ducati, the world is expecting fireworks from his first ride at Buriram.
Will Marquez be able to secure another title or can Francesco Bagnaia hold his nerve and prove why he is a two-time world champion?
What will Marc Marquez bring to Ducati?
There has been debate as to whether signing Marquez was the right call from Ducati, as the move allowed rival manufacturer Aprilia to attain the services of Martin.
However, given the Spanish rider’s status as one of the greatest in MotoGP history, as well as his strong showings in his year at Gresini, the decision made by the Bologna factory is an understandable, albeit harsh one on the reigning world champion.
While it took Marquez more time than expected to adapt to his GP23 last season, he still earned three dominant victories on a bike that was clearly a level below the GP24, and it is reasonable to suggest that level of performance will be replicated on a more regular basis in 2025.
“2025 and 2026 will be two very good bullets,” he said via Spanish newspaper Marca.
“We don’t know if they will be the last or not, but they will be two very good bullets to try to fight for the title, because we are in the best team and we will try to give 100%.
“But first there is a pre-season ahead, but it is clear that yes, with enthusiasm you always start.”
“There will be crashes, because that’s part of our sport, but [my wish] it’s that there are no injuries.
“Then, as a goal, well, obviously, I would like to fight for the world title until the last races.”
A potential title fight between the new teammates could cause plenty of drama, and there has already been fireworks between Marquez and Bagnaia on-track following their clash at the Portuguese Grand Prix last year. However, both riders have insisted there will be no issues within the team.
How will Marquez’s arrival affect Bagnaia?
There has been speculation over how the arrival of Marquez may affect Bagnaia, who has been the clear number one at Ducati since his promotion in 2021.
While the Italian is unlikely to be under any pressure to lose his ride, he will be facing one of the greatest riders in the sport’s history, which could make or break his status in the history books after a difficult 2024.
The Italian won eleven races last season – the most for a rider who did not go on to take the championship – and will be looking to secure his third title against the power of Marquez.
Bagnaia anticipates that the races will likely be contested between the teammates but expects 2025 to be “a special season.”
“In my view, it will be a special season because many riders are changing teams,” he said on the Migbabol podcast.
“Ducati will still be the bike to beat. We will have two fewer Ducatis and one less factory bike, so I think it will be a season where Marc and I will frequently finish at the front, but also alongside an Aprilia team that now has two new riders who are very eager and KTM with [Pedro] Acosta and [Brad] Binder.
“In my opinion, if [Maverick] Viñales and [Enea] Bastianini manage to find something, they will be in the mix too.
“But overall, I think Marc, myself, [Marco] Bezzecchi, Martin, and also [Fabio] Quartararo and Acosta will be the ones who are most often at the front.”
