“If he doesn’t agree with Valentino Rossi, he tells him!”

Francesco Bagnaia is not “a copy” of his mentor Valentino Rossi and won’t be influenced by him, Ducati insist.

Bagnaia became the first graduate of Rossi’s VR46 Academy to win the MotoGP championship in 2022.

By becoming Ducati’s star man with back-to-back titles, he won in the garage where Rossi endured his notoriously ill-fated spell.

Bagnaia will now be joined in the factory Ducati garage by Marc Marquez, Rossi’s eternal rival, in another twist of fate.

“Pecco is Pecco, he is not Valentino Rossi who is a great champion, an idol, for me as well,” Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi told GPOne.

“But Pecco has his own ideas. I believe that if he doesn’t agree with Valentino, he tells him.

“Pecco has his own personality. Pecco is an important champion and, in my opinion, will become even more so.

“I don’t think he is a copy of someone or he is managed by someone.”

The duo of Marquez and Bagnaia has been likened to Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo at Yamaha - for their individual brilliance on a bike, but also for the potential of explosiveness.

The looming presence of Rossi as Bagnaia’s friend and mentor will only fan the flames.

Marquez, if he wins the title this year, will match Rossi’s tally of nine world championships.

Tardozzi insists there will be no feud between teammates this season.

“No, the storm must be managed,” he said.

“Anything can happen in life, however I believe it will be the track that will say what is the result of one or the other.

“As far as Ducati is concerned we will support both riders in the best possible way, if a rider wants to take a different direction we are able to handle it.

“Gigi and his guys and engineers know exactly what to do, they have already talked a lot with both riders for the near future.

“It is important to make the right decisions in the five days of winter testing, especially for the engine that will also be defined for 2026, so we are very careful.”