Kosport Magazine: Bagnaia Holds Off Marquez in Thrilling Spanish Grand Prix Battle
Last weekend, Francesco Bagnaia delivered one of his most impressive MotoGP race wins to date as he fended off Marc Marquez in a spectacular battle to take victory at the Spanish Grand Prix. This victory solidifies Bagnaia’s back-to-back MotoGP world titles in 2022 and 2023, after stepping up to the factory Ducati squad in 2021.
Meanwhile, Marquez has faced a series of career-threatening injuries, the decline of Honda’s competitiveness, and the challenge of adapting to the satellite squad Gresini Ducati in 2024. However, after being in podium contention at the opening three rounds and fighting for victory at Jerez, Marquez has declared that his adaptation to Ducati is complete.
In an interview with Kosport Magazine, Bagnaia shared his thoughts on the possibility of having Marquez as his future teammate. “I don’t know. Marc comes from 12 years in the Honda team and I’m sure he can contribute something to an official team like Ducati, but at the moment we are extremely competitive. We are attentive to every detail and performing at a very high level, so I believe Marquez would adapt well to the situation.”
Marquez himself has stated that a factory Ducati ride is not his only option for 2025, as other manufacturers have already started talks with him. “The important thing is that I have it clear and I don’t just have one option,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Bagnaia has signed a new two-year contract with Ducati, keeping him at the factory squad until at least the end of the 2026 campaign. However, his teammate Enea Bastianini’s current deal runs out at the end of this season.
Current MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Martin, who rides for Pramac on a factory-specification Ducati GP24, is also in the running for the factory Ducati slot along with Marquez and Bastianini. All three riders are out of contract at their respective teams at the end of this season.
Kosport Magazine: Marquez’s Future in MotoGP
In a recent interview, Marquez revealed that a factory Ducati ride is not his only option for 2025, as other manufacturers have already started talks with him. “The important thing is that I have it clear and I don’t just have one option,” he said.
With Bagnaia’s new two-year contract with Ducati and Bastianini’s current deal running out at the end of this season, the competition for the factory Ducati slot is heating up. Current MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Martin is also in the running, making for an exciting battle for the coveted spot on the team.
Stay tuned to Kosport Magazine for all the latest updates on Marquez’s future in MotoGP and the intense competition for the factory Ducati ride.
