Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez says his switch to the factory Ducati outfit as “the most important challenge of my career”.
Ducati Corse unveiled its 2025 challenger on Monday, with Marquez officially starting his venture as the new rider to work alongside two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia.
The Spaniard is eyeing up a seventh MotoGP title, and a first since 2019, after overcoming various injuries that almost ended his career early.
He spent one year with Gresini Racing on a year-old Ducati to acclimatise to the Italian marque, picking up three race wins along the way.
“I’m really happy to be here dressed in the official colours of Ducati, ” the Spaniard said on stage.
“It’s exciting to be in Madonna di Campiglio today, opening a new MotoGP season. But above all, it’s exciting because it marks the start of what I consider to be the most important challenge of my career.
“During this winter I have been able to disconnect a little but I have also had time to train hard and now I feel ready to face a new year that will be intense and exciting.”
Marquez arrives into a Ducati team that won 19 of the 20 Grand Prix held in 2024, and the Bologna brand has been the ruling manufacturer in the premier class these last few years.
The Spaniard looks ahead to the upcoming season and has his ambitions in mind, but understands it won’t be an easy task having Bagnaia on the other side of the pitbox.
“I’m really looking forward to continuing the work we started at the Montmelo test last November and getting back on the bike at Sepang and Buriram,” he said.
“My first short-term goal is to enjoy riding, because if I achieve that I know that everything else will come.
“As I have said many times, when you are in an official team, the ultimate goal cannot be other than to be competitive in every race, to get podiums and victories and to try to fight for the world championship.
“During the days we have shared with the team I have been able to see that the working environment is really fantastic. I can’t wait to ride the Desmosedici GP again.”
Marc Marquez describes having ‘butterflies in the stomach’ joining the factory Ducati
Marquez embarks on his new journey in red and describes how it feels to be a part of the Italian outfit.
The 31-year-old was announced as Enea Bastianini’s replacement for the 2025 season, signing a two-year contract that will expire before the 2027 regulation shake-up.
This move gives the factory Ducati side have one of the strongest line-ups in MotoGP history, thanks to Marquez’s eight titles and Bagnaia’s three.
“It’s true I feel super happy, that kind of butterflies in the stomach. Even though I’ve been in many teams presentation, but I know when you’re in a new team and where you are in the reference team of MotoGP, it’s that extra pressure that is normal.
“[I’m] super happy to wear that red leather suit and looking forward to start of the season,” he told MotoGP.com.
“For me the biggest challenge was last year. Of course this year we are on the official team, that means we need to fight for the world championship.”
Marquez believes that he isn’t the number one rider within the team due to his inferior experience on the GP bike in comparison to his Bagnaia.
But now that he is on the best bike on the grid, he feels he has all the tools and resources to become MotoGP world champion once again.
“Right now, no. It’s not number one, number two [status], it’s like more experience rider inside the garage and the less experience rider inside the garage.
“In the end we will have equal conditions and as a team it’s working in the same way for both riders. This is the most important inside the team because the end target is trying to win.
“As I say, if Pecco is not able to win, I need to win and opposite. This will be the main target.
“In the first races you need to also understand also the philosophy inside the garage, the way they are working [and] why they win so much these last few years and step by step I will understand.
“We have everything to fight for in the championship, we have the bike and the correct team, so now it is in my hands.”
