Francesco Bagnaia “wouldn’t rule out” former title rival in MotoGP 2025

Double MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia says he “wouldn’t rule out” the prospect of having to fight Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo at the front of the field in 2025.

Bagnaia remains with the factory Ducati squad next season but will start the new campaign not as the defending champion for the first time since 2022.

Though he won 11 grands prix last season, Bagnaia ultimately came up 10 points short of outgoing Pramac Ducati rider Jorge Martin.

Next year, Bagnaia faces his toughest challenge yet as he goes up against Marc Marquez on equal machinery when the latter steps into the factory Ducati garage.

Speaking on fellow VR46 Academy member Andrea Migno’s podcast, Bagnaia says he is predicting lots of “solo” races between himself and Marquez.

However, he also pinpointed a surprise name he is anticipating to cause him problems.

“My next goal is to win three MotoGP world championships,” he said.

“What will happen in 2025? Ducati will be the bike to beat, but they’ll have one less factory bike.

“I expect a lot of races with only me and Marquez solo, but Aprilia has a new duo [Martin and Marco Bezzecchi], and KTM can count on [Pedro] Acosta and [Brad] Binder.

“I wouldn’t rule out Quartararo either, since Yamaha is improving.”

Bagnaia and Quartararo battled for the championship in 2022, with the former overturning a 91-point deficit at the halfway stage of that season as the competitiveness of the Yamaha started to fade.

Yamaha endured its worst season in the modern era in 2024, as it came away with no podiums for the first time in what was also its second consecutive winless campaign.

It scored just 124 points in the constructors’ standings, down from 196 scored in 2023, though constant development of the M1 did see it enjoy a stronger end to 2024, with Quartararo scoring a season-best sixth in Malaysia.

Quartararo was also effortlessly the top rider from a Japanese marque in the standings in 13th - 58 points clear of LCR’s Johann Zarco.

He will remain with Yamaha until the end of 2026, with Quartararo praising the brand’s mentality change in regards to bike development as the biggest step it made this year.