Marc Marquez "keeping cards close to his chest" after Ducati reveal

The factory Ducati squad officially unveiled its 2025 MotoGP livery at an event in Italy with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.

Ducati comes into the new season looking to cement its dominance, having won 19 of 20 grands prix last year on its way to riders’ and constructors’ titles, and the teams’ title with Pramac.

At its factory squad, Ducati has assembled one of MotoGP’s most formidable line-ups as it pairs double world champion Francesco Bagnaia with six-time premier class title winner Marc Marquez.

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While everything remained cordial through the launch, there is still an overarching sense that tensions will eventually boil between the pair.

“It’s difficult for Ducati, I think, to predict what they would like to happen and what’s going to happen,” Crash.net's Social Media Manager and podcast host Jordan Moreland said.

“There’s something for me about Marquez keeping his cards close to his chest again.

“He didn’t really give anything away. When he was speaking to the press, he even got asked ‘is this the biggest year of your career so far?’ And he was like ‘no, 2024 was because it was the comeback’.

“You just sense that he’s really ready for this because he’s said about keeping one eye on the title from round one, and he hasn’t said it really since 2020. This is a different Marquez. He’s going back to the old ways, I can sense.”

Crash Senior Journalist Lewis Duncan echoed Moreland’s thoughts, adding: “It’s the first time we’ve heard Marc since he signed for the factory Ducati team that he is actually thinking about the championship, because up to this point he’s spoken about needing to get the team up front first, Pecco’s going to be the number one, he’s the reference.

“It’s the first time we’ve heard openly - and within earshot of Pecco Bagnaia as well - that the expectation is to fight for the world championship from the first race.

“That’s interesting. We’re starting to very steadily see that switch from Marc.

“He’s had that year on the Gresini bike, he’s won races, he’s back to where he was. He very nearly beat Bagnaia on an inferior Ducati [at Jerez].

“And I think this is when those flashpoints between the two of them will get put into further focus this year.”

One potential plot point for the 2025 season will be how involved Marquez’s arch rival Valentino Rossi gets involved off-track in a title battle between the Ducati pair.

Rossi was critical of Ducati’s decision to promote Marquez last year, reigniting a feud that neither Marquez - nor Bagnaia - have shown much interest in dignifying at this stage.

Crash MotoGP Editor Peter McLaren reckons: “We’ve seen it from Marquez where he sort of doesn’t respond to the comments, because he was asked about the interview and comments and he just sort of laughed it off.

“He doesn’t get involved. It will be the context of them, if those comments come out could Marquez see it as ‘oh, well Rossi is worried about Bagnaia and that’s why he’s speaking’.

“In that way, for Marquez, he will see it as a bit of a boost - ‘they’re saying this because they know they are in trouble against me’. I think it will also almost make Pecco look in a stronger position if he stays out of it as long as he can. As we know, Pecco likes to do his talking on the race track. So, if it does come up it’s just going to add another dimension to it.”