Marc Marquez’s debut with the factory Ducati team during the recent Barcelona MotoGP post-season test quite impressive, yielding positive results.
Transitioning from a long-standing career with Honda and later a year with Gresini Racing, Marquez took to the track in a striking red livery that marked a new chapter in his illustrious career.
The eight-time world champion completed 48 laps, showcasing not only his skill but also his ability to quickly acclimate to a new machine. By the end of the day, he secured fourth place on the timesheets, just 0.651 seconds behind the fastest lap set by his younger brother, Alex Marquez.
Marc Marquez’s debut was particularly noteworthy as he effectively skipped testing the GP24 model, opting instead to focus on the prototype of next year’s GP25 machine. This strategic decision allowed him to immerse himself directly into the development process of Ducati’s future racing technology.
“I tried the GP25 most of the day, 90% of the time I was riding with the 25,” Marquez confirmed. “So I was working a lot for the engineers because when you jump to the official team, it means that you have a very strict plan with all the things you need to try and the rider is in the hands of the engineers. You are there working for the engineers.
“It’s true that the bike has some positive things that work a bit better. But in the end it’s a bike and you need to ride in a good way. If you want to be fast, you need to push.
“But the feeling was super good, especially with the team. That is the most important on the first impression, and we work in a good way.”
Throughout the day, Marquez demonstrated a keen sense of teamwork and collaboration with his new crew. He noted that both he and reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia shared similar observations about the bike’s performance.
“The engine is a bit better on the straight, so that also is important comparing with last year’s bike,” Marquez added. “And then it looks like the character of going in on the corner is a bit different. Still there I need to understand where is the limit.
“The thing is that I tried the full package 25: Frame, engine and different things. So we don’t know which [individual parts] feel different.
“Then Pecco was working a little bit in a different way. But the most important is that both of us had very similar comments. Same problems, same advantages. So this makes life easier for the engineers.
“Still we need more time to understand because, with Pecco, we had similar comments. It’s true that it’s super good in some aspects, but a little bit more difficult in other aspects.
“So now we need to evaluate, because you need to have a ‘stable’ bike on all 22 rounds. Not very fast in one kind of track.”
Marc Marquez’s debut with Ducati at the Barcelona MotoGP post-season test served as an essential stepping stone as he prepares for the 2025 season. His next outing on the GP25 will take place at Sepang in February 2025, where he will continue to refine his skills and provide valuable feedback to his team.
As he embarks on this new journey with Ducati, many are hopeful that he can replicate or even surpass his previous successes.
The factory Ducati team has been at the forefront of MotoGP innovation and competitiveness in recent years, making significant strides under Bagnaia’s leadership.
With Marquez now onboard, there is an air of optimism that this partnership could yield extraordinary results not only for him personally but also for Ducati as they aim for championship glory.
