Marc Marquez explains “the good problem” Ducati faces with 2025 MotoGP bike
“We start from a base that won 19 races…”
Marc Marquez says Ducati has to be “very, very sure” with its 2025 MotoGP engine selection as “the good problem” it has is that the GP24 is “a very good base”.
The factory Ducati squad has intensely been comparing the GP25 with last year’s GP24 over the three days at the Sepang test, with the decision crucial ahead of a two-year engine freeze.
Marquez ended the test fifth overall, though outright honours went to his GP24-mounted brother Alex Marquez on Friday.
Though Marc Marquez turned heads with his sprint simulation on Friday, he remained coy on what engine he was using.
“Was a mix,” he said. “Was with the aero of 2024, the rest you cannot see… So, for that reason I say only the aero.”
With just two days of testing left before the season starts and the two-year engine development freeze comes into force, Alex Marquez’s Sepang-topping time and sprint simulation - which was faster than his brother’s - is a dilemma for Ducati.
“For that reason the good problem of Ducati is we start from a base that won 19 races from 20,” Marc Marquez added.
“So, this is something difficult to improve and that’s why you have to be sure it’s better, because you know with the 2024 you can fight for the championship 100%.
“So, it’s there where we tried many things because it’s not only engine, it’s not only aero.
“It’s many small things that today we worked more on the small details and tried to understand which piece is better and which piece is worse.”
Marc Marquez asked about Alex Marquez
Asked if Alex Marquez could be considered a championship challenger this year, his elder brother said: “Too early for him. I would never put pressure on my brother. He is enjoying now, he has a very good feeling.
“So, the pressure is for the official riders. In the official team you must fight for the championship.
“He’s enjoying, so keep going. But of course I was concentrated a lot on my garage because it was a very tough schedule, and all the engineers were there to understand well because we need to choose the correct way.
“The good problem of Ducati is that you start from a very good base, so to improve that base you have to be very, very sure it’s better. So, for that reason we tried and retried.”
Marquez also noted that the track conditions being “unreal” make it hard to understand where Ducati has to improve the bike, because high grip levels “absorb” all issues.
“Of course always you can try to improve,” he said.
“The problem was the track conditions were unreal, because there was a lot of rubber and you don’t know where the problem of the bike is, because when the grip of the track is super good - the track, if you walked it, was fully black.
“Many problems, all that rubber absorbs.
“So, it’s there at the moment when I put the best package I found I feel good, I cannot say to you where we can improve.”
Quotes provided by Crash MotoGP Editor Peter McLaren
