Marc Marquez “divisive”; Ducati CEO hints at Valentino Rossi skirmishes | MotoGP

Marc Marquez “divisive”; Ducati CEO hints at Valentino Rossi skirmishes | MotoGP

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Ducati’s CEO has admitted signing Marc Marquez is “divisive” in a nod towards his rivalry with Valentino Rossi.Marquez will ride the official Ducati next season, alongside Pecco Bagnaia at the forefront of the Italian manufacturer’s MotoGP project.He is synonymous, of course, for feuding with Italy’s favourite son, Rossi.“Marquez’s choice is divisive,” Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali told Sky Italia.“Much more in Italy than in the rest of the world due to his history, his way of riding and what happened in the past.“What I read is that no one questions his talent, but several people have very specific opinions on his story.”That story includes Rossi’s notorious accusation that Marquez assisted Jorge Lorenzo in winning the championship in 2015.But, Ducati could not ignore the impressive season Marquez is currently having with Gresini on a year-old bike.His assertion that he would not move to another Ducati satellite team, even with factory machinery, swung the manufacturer’s decision over their official 2025 line-up in his favour.Jorge Martin missed out and has signed for Aprilia instead.“It was a very difficult decision for us because we love Martin very much,” Domenicali said.“In the end the choice was Marc or Jorge, who has been with us for a long time and is very strong.“Time will tell whether this decision was right or not.”2027 bike development a key factorThe decision to choose Marquez – who, next year, will be the second-oldest MotoGP rider – has prompted accusations that Ducati have ditched their philosophy to develop their own riders, such as Bagnaia.Martin left for Aprilia, Enea Bastianini went to KTM, and the Pramac team fled to Yamaha in the wake of Marquez’s promotion to the red team.Domenicali denies that Ducati are no longer focused on the future.“For some time we have chosen to focus on young people like Pecco and bring them up,” he said.“Then when they become talents and world champions the new ones who arrive struggle to find a place, so it was inevitable that we couldn’t keep everyone.“It is also the result of the choice to focus on the development of the new bike, the one for 2027.“Nobody talks about it but it needs to be done very well.“So it is important to think about what we are doing today in this beautiful championship, next year, but also further ahead.“I have heard that we no longer have the strategy of young people.“I think this is denied by the facts – Fermin Aldeguer is one of the promising riders and will be with us next year.“So not only are we not changing our strategy, but we want to reinforce it.”Aldeguer is currently the only rookie set to be included in MotoGP next year.He will join either VR46 or Gresini after signing a Ducati contract.

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27 years later: Marquez brothers recreate history

27 years later: Marquez brothers recreate history

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The Liqui Moly German Grand Prix proved unforgettable, with talking points at every corner. Sunday saw the culmination of three frenetic days of action with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) taking the top step after Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) heartbreaking late crash. Another major point from the race was that after 30 thrilling laps around the Sachsenring, Marc and Alex Marquez, the Gresini Racing duo, made history as they fulfilled a dream.
For the first time in 27 years in the premier class, and for the first time in the MotoGP™ era, a pair of brothers managed to share the podium, with Marc finishing P2 ahead of Alex, who finished P3. It was no secret that both riders from Cervera dreamt of sharing the podium one day. They had already made history by winning races at the same Grand Prix and becoming World Champions in the same season (2014 and 2019) in different categories, but they had never shared the podium in the same class. As the weekend began, it seemed like the wait would go on.Expectations were sky-high for the #93 in Germany. The Spanish rider has taken 11 victories, and had been undefeated entering into the weekend, and he entered the round as a favourite. However, the start of the weekend proved tumultuous. Marc crashed twice on Friday; the second crash during PR, a severe highside at Turn 11 causing a fracture in the index finger of his left hand and a strong rib contusion, resulting in a Q1 appearance, rubbing salt into the wounds.
Saturday wasn’t much easier for the eight-time World Champion. Despite feeling very sore, he tried his best to reach Q2, but an encounter with Stefan Bradl (Honda) on his final time attack placed him 13th on the starting grid. Despite this, he managed to climb up and score points in the Tissot Sprint with a commendable sixth place.
On the other hand, the younger Marquez, Alex, had a somewhat calmer weekend until Q2. The two-time World Champion, who had qualified directly, suffered a heavy fall in qualifying, forcing him to face race day in pain. Even so, Alex started in a better position than his brother, having qualified in fifth place. He struggled more in the Sprint, where he could only finish 9th. Given the pre-race formbook, the odds of Sunday at the Sachsenring ending as it did for the Marquez brothers were low to say the least, but with these heroic MotoGP™ riders, anything is possible.Marc, who found further trouble during the race after a collision with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), which left him without a fairing, managed to climb nine positions to catch Alex, who was in P3. It was brother vs brother for the final podium positon, with it seemingly set that one would have to miss out.
However, a late Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) crash, while leading, gave both brothers the chance to share the podium for the first time after the #93 made a late move on the #73. The sibling Gresini duo gave the Italian team its first double podium in MotoGP™ and wrote a new chapter in the history books – 27 years later.The last pair of brothers to share a podium in the premier class were the Aoki brothers, Japanese rider Nobuatsu and Takuma, at the 1997 Grand Prix of the City of Imola GP. In that case, both brothers also rode the same bike, a Honda. Nobuatsu finished second in that race, behind Mick Doohan, and Takuma was third.
With 13 Grand Prix still ahead this season, will the Marquez brothers be able to continue making history? Their next opportunity will come the first weekend of August at Silverstone. Don’t miss it! 

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Let’s talk MotoGP: Marc Marquez has just proven Ducati right

Let’s talk MotoGP: Marc Marquez has just proven Ducati right

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Marc Marquez is not ready to give up his magician’s cape; at the Sachsenring, he may have just proven Ducati right. His weekend in Germany was whole, complete, stamped Marquez. Throughout the long history of the motorcycling world championship, only he is capable of bringing this range of emotions to life on the scale of a Grand Prix.
 
From the great Marquez
 
Where to start. From his two falls on Friday to his podium on Sunday, we had it all. The worried Marquez, conquering, but clean, too. A screenwriter could not have written three days that reflected his greatness to this extent. For me, it’s one of the best Grand Prix of his career, quite simply.
Firstly, because he played the three most important sessions while injured. His freak fall on Friday afternoon left him with severe bruising to his ribs and a broken index finger.. Once again, he found himself in Q1 – a point to which we will return, and unable to progress to Q2. Perhaps because of Stefan Bradl, stopped on the trajectory when the eight-time world champion arrived.
 
Two
bros on the podium, a first since the Aoki brothers in 1997. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

 
During the Sprint, he made a very honorable comeback from 13th position to sixth, but he has accustomed us to this kind of exploits since the start of this season. And finally, on Sunday, the completion of a work of art, with a second place acquired in the last moments, just ahead of his brother.
Magnificent.
I was surprised by his cleanliness, helped by his love for the Sachsenring and the obvious ease with which he moves on its slopes. He did not force an overtake, never got hot despite two big contacts. One with Brad Binder at lights out, and the other, much more dangerous, with Franco Morbidelli. I also think that the Italian was in the wrong on this one.
It was from the great Marc Marquez. We can only congratulate him, and even if it is “only” a second place, I think it is more beautiful than many of his victories. Once again if one were needed, he ridicules the adage according to which
“history only remembers the winners”.
 

From P13 to P2! 🚀🚀🚀🚀 @marcmarquez93
produced another stunning comeback to take an important 2nd place that for sure tasted like a victory after a difficult weekend at his beloved Sachsenring! 🥈#GermanGP
???????? pic.twitter.com/L0czXao21m
– MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP)
July 7, 2024

 
A major problem
 
Let’s take a quick look at his start to the season, given that we are – almost – halfway through this 2024 financial year. He did not achieve a 12th victory at the Sachsenring, indeed, and this could be due to this famous Q1 . I expected anything but this, but qualifying is a problem for Marc Marquez, even though he is the best in history in this area.
As a reminder, he managed to achieve a pole last year aboard a Honda RC213V which he knew well, of course, but whose performance was in no way comparable to the Ducati and other KTMs. By signing with Gresini, I expected that Saturday would be his day, that his natural speed would finally be able to express itself freely after four years of struggles. Nothing works.
Certainly, the GP23 is further from the GP24 than the GP22 was from the GP23, but he cannot afford these successive eliminations in Q1 which condemn him to the feat during the two races. Therefore, he has to take more risks, and cannot dream of catching Pecco Bagnaia in his current form in this way. Remember that Marquez finished second, four seconds behind, that’s huge. This is the only point he really lacks, but it remains a good first half of the season.
 
Marc Marquez at the Sachsenring is always special. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

 
It is not surprising or exceptional, because I think that any informed spectator could anticipate his exploits now that he is equipped with a very good machine. I expected it to be a little faster, more explosive, like at the Sachsenring in the end, but also, more often on the ground and less solid, less consistent in its performance.. Everything has smoothed out and my pre-season predictions are proving correct so far.
 
Ducati bet on the right horse
 
I know that the culture of the moment should be avoided. I know that we should not only base ourselves on recent performances to judge a rider, and that Jorge Martin perfectly deserved this official Ducati handlebar. Yes, everyone knows.
But let me ask you: Do you think the “Martinator” is capable of achieving what Marc Marquez did this Sunday, on any circuit? Without even talking about the injury or the equipment which is not the same. I don’t think so, and that’s why I said recently that no team can go wrong by signing Marc Marquez, that he is in no way a bad choice.
Jorge Martin is very strong, and passes nothing from a perfect weekend. But he is not Marc Marquez. From my point of view, he does not yet have the capacity to surpass himself, to challenge his own limits. While I will never stop fighting hasty conclusions, I think, paradoxically, that the Grand Prix of Germany legitimizes Ducati’s decision. Marquez alone showed that we had to bet on him. It is this profile that makes the reputation of a team, this type of character who contributes to the impression left by a team in the story – and this will necessarily be felt on a commercial level, it goes hand in hand and it is normal for Ducati to think about this.
What did you think of Marc Marquez at the Sachsenring?
Tell me in the comments!
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

What a pilot. Photo: Marc Marquez

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport


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The best of Marc Marquez’ DAZN interview

The best of Marc Marquez’ DAZN interview

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On the eve of the German Grand Prix, one of the key dates on Marc Marquez’ (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) calendar, the Spanish rider sat down to talk with Spanish broadcaster DAZN about his current situation, the Championship, and, of course, his future.
The conversation took place in the days leading up to the action at Sachsenring, so the first thing the #93 referred to was the very different situation he found himself in 2024 compared to 2023. Last season, Marquez withdrew from the German GP after suffering a severe highside at Turn 7 during the Warm Up, causing a small fracture in his left thumb: “The German Grand Prix last year helped me see reality and learn that you can’t set certain expectations. Until that day, I had always set expectations, and there I understood that expectations and goals always have to be realistic. That weekend, I didn’t see reality, I didn’t know how to react. I was hitting a wall.”The eight-time World Champion has reiterated on several occasions that the idea of hanging up his leathers after the ordeal he has gone through in recent years crossed his mind at some point. But since joining Nadia Padovani’s team, things have changed: “I have evolved, especially in the way I set realistic goals. You can’t arrive at a circuit, no matter your history there, the way I did last year and try to win the race. That Grand Prix was frustrating. With the middle finger gesture, or showing myself dejected on the wall when I knew something had broken after the fall and I had to go through another injury… That made me learn to manage, to know how to adapt and not create false expectations.”
For that same reason, Marquez did not set expectations for the 2024 German Grand Prix, where on Sunday he staged a sensational comeback that ended with a historic podium: “It’s okay not to win in Sachsenring, there will be a summer break, and the second part of the season will begin. At the start of the season, there are two or three circuits that you target because you think you can do better. Austin was one of the targets, and I fell in the race, and Sachsenring is another, but if I don’t win, life goes on, and there will be more opportunities in the remainder of the season and next year.”
“Not winning here is not a failure, but I know what will be said and I don’t worry about it. I have very clear ideas and know what I aim to achieve this season,” he stated in the days leading up to the weekend.The Spaniard was also asked about his main rivals in the title fight and whether he sees himself with a chance to fight for the crown: “Bagnaia has stepped up in these last few races and is raising the level. Martin is managing to be close, not at his level, but close. I have stalled a bit, stayed where I was in Jerez and Le Mans.”
“People tell me I’ve been close, but you have to see reality, and the reality is that, how can I be in the fight if I’m saving Sundays? There are always two riders who are consistently faster and finish ahead. Many things have to happen, but I don’t see myself in the fight for the Championship. The goal will be to finish in the top three, though it won’t be easy; we’ll have to deal with Bastianini,” he said before revealing who he sees as the favourite: “Right now, I see Pecco stronger; he has the mental stability and the results. He’s gaining momentum which, it’s true, can change in a couple of races, but right now, it’s a momentum that is frightening.”
After all the frenzy of the 2025 rider market, Marquez opened up on whether his ascension to the factory Ducati team could be an issue for Bagnaia: “I think Bagnaia has taken it well, that we will be teammates next year. If I was in his place, I would face it as a challenge. They put the rider with the most World Championships currently on the grid with the same bike, and I beat him, I show that I can beat him. But you have to ask him how he took it.”
And continuing with the rider market theme, he confirmed that his options to switch from Ducati to Aprilia or KTM were very real: “It was a possibility, it was option C, not the second, but yes, why not? There are two European brands that are doing well and have a method of work and progression that is leading them to win races. So yes, it was a real and feasible option.”

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27 years later: Marquez brothers recreate history

27 years later: Marquez brothers recreate history

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The Liqui Moly German Grand Prix proved unforgettable, with talking points at every corner. Sunday saw the culmination of three frenetic days of action with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) taking the top step after Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) heartbreaking late crash. Another major point from the race was that after 30 thrilling laps around the Sachsenring, Marc and Alex Marquez, the Gresini Racing duo, made history as they fulfilled a dream.
For the first time in 27 years in the premier class, and for the first time in the MotoGP™ era, a pair of brothers managed to share the podium, with Marc finishing P2 ahead of Alex, who finished P3. It was no secret that both riders from Cervera dreamt of sharing the podium one day. They had already made history by winning races at the same Grand Prix and becoming World Champions in the same season (2014 and 2019) in different categories, but they had never shared the podium in the same class. As the weekend began, it seemed like the wait would go on.Expectations were sky-high for the #93 in Germany. The Spanish rider has taken 11 victories, and had been undefeated entering into the weekend, and he entered the round as a favourite. However, the start of the weekend proved tumultuous. Marc crashed twice on Friday; the second crash during PR, a severe highside at Turn 11 causing a fracture in the index finger of his left hand and a strong rib contusion, resulting in a Q1 appearance, rubbing salt into the wounds.
Saturday wasn’t much easier for the eight-time World Champion. Despite feeling very sore, he tried his best to reach Q2, but an encounter with Stefan Bradl (Honda) on his final time attack placed him 13th on the starting grid. Despite this, he managed to climb up and score points in the Tissot Sprint with a commendable sixth place.
On the other hand, the younger Marquez, Alex, had a somewhat calmer weekend until Q2. The two-time World Champion, who had qualified directly, suffered a heavy fall in qualifying, forcing him to face race day in pain. Even so, Alex started in a better position than his brother, having qualified in fifth place. He struggled more in the Sprint, where he could only finish 9th. Given the pre-race formbook, the odds of Sunday at the Sachsenring ending as it did for the Marquez brothers were low to say the least, but with these heroic MotoGP™ riders, anything is possible.Marc, who found further trouble during the race after a collision with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), which left him without a fairing, managed to climb nine positions to catch Alex, who was in P3. It was brother vs brother for the final podium positon, with it seemingly set that one would have to miss out.
However, a late Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) crash, while leading, gave both brothers the chance to share the podium for the first time after the #93 made a late move on the #73. The sibling Gresini duo gave the Italian team its first double podium in MotoGP™ and wrote a new chapter in the history books – 27 years later.The last pair of brothers to share a podium in the premier class were the Aoki brothers, Japanese rider Nobuatsu and Takuma, at the 1997 Grand Prix of the City of Imola GP. In that case, both brothers also rode the same bike, a Honda. Nobuatsu finished second in that race, behind Mick Doohan, and Takuma was third.
With 13 Grand Prix still ahead this season, will the Marquez brothers be able to continue making history? Their next opportunity will come the first weekend of August at Silverstone. Don’t miss it!

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Alex Marquez to stay with Gresini Ducati for MotoGP 2025

Alex Marquez to stay with Gresini Ducati for MotoGP 2025

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Gresini Racing, which has a 2025 contract with Ducati to remain one of its satellite teams, has reached an agreement with Alex Marquez to extend their partnership next season.
Marquez joined Gresini in 2023 from Honda, with which he made his premier class debut in 2020.
After a first year with the factory team, due to the premature retirement of Jorge Lorenzo, the 2019 Moto2 champion was transferred to the LCR team, where he spent two seasons until the end of 2022 and where he suffered extraordinarily from the competitive slump of the RC213V.
That lack of confidence with the bike led him to look for a way out, which led to his signing with Gresini, with which he made his debut at the 2023 Portuguese GP with an encouraging fifth position, sharing the box that season with Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio, riding year-old machinery.
After two podiums in his first season with Gresini, as well as two victories in Sprint races (Great Britain and Malaysia), Marquez has welcomed his brother Marc Marquez as team-mate this year – both inheriting the Desmosedici GP23 from last year.
Turning 28 earlier this year, Alex Marquez, who came to the world championship in 2012, was Moto3 champion in 2014, and Moto2 champion in 2019.
This opened the door for a MotoGP step with Honda, which promoted him to the premier class in 2020, where he achieved podiums at the Le Mans and Aragon races.

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

With Marquez’s renewal, Gresini closes half of its rider line-up following the news earlier this month that his older brother will move to the factory Ducati team in 2025.
An official announcement is expected soon.
The 2025 grid is now shaping up quickly following Ducati’s announcement that it will field Marc Marquez in its factory squad, with Jorge Martin moving to Aprilia alongside Marco Bezzecchi.
Maverick Vinales will leave Aprilia for Tech3 KTM, joining Enea Bastianini, while the Austrian marque had already confirmed Pedro Acosta’s promotion to its factory squad next season alongside Brad Binder.
Double world champion Francesco Bagnaia signed a new Ducati deal prior to the start of the season, while Yamaha locked Fabio Quartararo down for two more seasons earlier this year.
Coming into the year, Honda already had Luca Marini and Johann Zarco on contracts through to the end of 2025, while Joan Mir looks set to stick with HRC beyond this year.
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Rider ratings halfway through season, top 10 riders analysis, Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, Jack Miller, Fabio Quartararo

Rider ratings halfway through season, top 10 riders analysis, Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, Jack Miller, Fabio Quartararo

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There’s maths, and there’s MotoGP maths. Consider: the 20-race 2024 calendar – assuming it gets to 20 races after the cancellation of Argentina, the postponement of India until 2025, the pushing back of Kazakhstan from last year to June 2024, and again to September if it goes ahead at all – means MotoGP’s first nine events have happened in 17 weeks, with the final 11 taking place in just 16 weeks from August to November. With the recent races in the Netherlands and Germany on back-to-back weekends in a nine-week span, it’s time to take stock of 2024 and contemplate what we’ve learned after nine of 20 – maybe 19 – rounds this season.Every MotoGP qualifying, practice and race LIVE and ad-break free from lights out to the chequered flag. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >Has the madcap 2025 rider market overshadowed this season while shaping next? What are the prevailing – and emerging – narratives? And is the balance of 2024 set for a repeat of the Francesco Bagnaia vs. Jorge Martin battle from last year, one that raged all the way to the season finale in Valencia with plot twists nobody saw coming? They’re all pertinent questions with undetermined answers, but what’s more clear are the riders who have shone – and stumbled – from Qatar to Germany. So far, 27 riders have appeared in at least one race, but who are Fox Sports’ top 10? MORE MOTOGP NEWSGERMAN GP TALKING POINTS Champ’s patience pays, Marquez brothers make historyNEW TEAM, NEW HOPE? Miller’s left-field lifeline after Pramac dumps DucatiTo caveat what’s to come: it’s not simply a matter of listing the top 10 in the standings, as that removes context, expectations, perception and reputation, and doesn’t take into account what machine a rider is working with. So before we reveal who made the cut, there’s a short list of honourable (or dishonourable) mentions. Brad Binder was an outstanding fourth in last year’s championship, but the ceiling of the KTM has been raised by rookie sensation Pedro Acosta this year. Aside from a first-race podium in Qatar, Binder – for all of his experience – has been shown the way by a rider who began the season as a teenager, making you ponder whether his 2023 – strong as it was – extracted the absolute maximum out of the RC16.Ducati pair Franco Morbidelli and Marco Bezzecchi have each been handily beaten by their teammates (Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio respectively). Morbidelli gets a pass of sorts after missing all of the pre-season and being nowhere near 100 per cent when he returned after a nasty off-season production bike crash in Portugal, while Bezzecchi – third in last year’s championship – has struggled with Michelin’s 2024-spec rear tyre this season, but parlayed his potential from 2023 to ink a factory Aprilia seat for next year. Aprilia teammates Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez have each shown flashes, but no more than that. Jack Miller’s 2024 – sacked by one KTM team and overlooked for another, jobless for 2025 and on track for his worst season since 2016 – makes him an easy omission.That’s who missed out – so here’s who didn’t. (Note: head-to-head with teammate statistics below only counts sprint races or Grands Prix where both teammates finished).10. FABIO QUARTARARO (YAMAHA)In the Yamaha vs. Honda fight at the back, Quartararo has been the one standout. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 44/15thBest Grand Prix result: 7th (Portugal)Best sprint race result: 5th (Spain)Best qualifying: 8th (France)Points compared to teammates: Quartararo 44, Alex Rins/Remy Gardner 8Head-to-head with teammates in qualifying: Quartararo 6, Rins/Gardner 3Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Quartararo 4, Rins/Gardner 2Head-to-head in sprint races: Quartararo 6, Rins/Gardner 0Summary: The 2021 world champion in 10th when he’s 15th in the standings? It’s all about context. In the unofficial ‘Japanese Cup’ between Yamaha and Honda in the sport’s basement, Quartararo’s 44 points are equal to the combined total of Joan Mir, Johann Zarco, Takaaki Nakagami, Yamaha teammate Alex Rins and Luca Marini; three of that five-rider group are MotoGP race-winners, so it’s not like Quartararo is clobbering a cadre of no-hopers. Getting a Yamaha into the top 10 anywhere with eight Ducatis on the grid is an achievement, and the Frenchman’s quality can still intermittently transcend his machinery. Re-signed for two more years earlier in 2024, Quartararo means Yamaha at least have a rider with proven ability on board to lead it out of the abyss ahead of the 2027 regulatory reset. In the interim, he’ll continue to swipe occasional results of note and get the best out of what he has. 9. ALEX MARQUEZ (DUCATI)Alex Marquez (right) shared the spotlight with his more famous sibling at the Sachsenring. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 79/10thBest Grand Prix result: 3rd (Germany)Best sprint race result: 7th (Qatar)Best qualifying: 4th (Netherlands)Points compared to teammate: Alex Marquez 79, Marc Marquez 166Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Alex Marquez 3, Marc Marquez 6Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Alex Marquez 1, Marc Marquez 6Head-to-head in sprint races: Alex Marquez 0, Marc Marquez 7Summary: Being considered one of 22 riders worthy of a MotoGP seat is quite the achievement, but being the second-best rider in your own team and family can’t be easy for Alex Marquez. It’s been his lot for a while now, of course, and he’s managed it well enough to already earn a two-year contract extension with Gresini for 2025-26. The younger Marquez is always there or thereabouts, never right at the front, but never underachieving on the machinery he’s riding. A German GP podium with his brother – the first siblings to finish together in the top three for 27 years – was a superb way to end a solid first half.8. ALEIX ESPARGARO (APRILIA)Espargaro revealed his retirement plans, then won the Catalunya sprint race. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 82/9thBest Grand Prix result: 4th (Catalunya)Best sprint race result: 1st (Catalunya)Best qualifying: Pole (Catalunya)Points compared to teammate: Espargaro 82, Maverick Vinales 125Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Espargaro 2, Vinales 6Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Espargaro 2, Vinales 3Head-to-head in sprint races: Espargaro 2, Vinales 4Summary: The grid’s oldest rider – Espargaro turns 35 later this month – announced at his beloved Catalunya that 2024 will be his final campaign before retirement, where he’ll take on Honda’s test rider role behind the scenes next season. Aprilia’s ‘Captain’ has had a curious career – his best season was 2022, the 12th of his 14-year tenure – and while the highs of two years ago aren’t as frequent, he’s still capable of occasional heroics, as the aforementioned Catalan round demonstrated. His 2024 stats took a hit after missing Assen and the Sachsenring after breaking a finger in the Netherlands, but it would surprise few if the high point of his farewell tour came at the fast and flowing Silverstone next time out, where he won last August.7. ENEA BASTIANINI (DUCATI)Qualifying performance remains elusive, but Bastianini’s race pace is formidable. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 155/4thBest Grand Prix result: 2nd (Portugal, Italy)Best sprint race result: 4th (France, Netherlands, Germany)Best qualifying: Pole (Portugal)Points compared to teammate: Bastianini 155, Francesco Bagnaia 212Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Bastianini 2, Bagnaia 7Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Bastianini 1, Bagnaia 7Head-to-head in sprint races: Bastianini 2, Bagnaia 4Summary: Sometimes, the eye test pre-empts the stats; in two seasons of MotoGP employing a half-distance sprint race on Saturdays, Bastianini – on the best bike in the field – is yet to even finish on the podium. It’s in keeping with “The Beast’s” reputation as being MotoGP’s foremost tyre whisperer, the diminutive Italian able to save grip on his Michelins to storm forward late in full-distance races and uncork lap times his opponents can’t live with on fading rubber. Qualifying remains a work in progress – he’s started three of nine Grands Prix outside of the first three rows – but you sense a first win of 2024 isn’t far away. 6. MAVERICK VINALES (APRILIA)Vinales ran rings around the rest on MotoGP’s annual visit to Texas. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 125/5thBest Grand Prix result: 1st (Americas)Best sprint race result: 1st (Americas)Best qualifying: Pole (Americas)Points compared to teammate: Vinales 125, Aleix Espargaro 82Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Vinales 6, Espargaro 2Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Vinales 3, Espargaro 2Head-to-head in sprint races: Vinales 4, Espargaro 2Summary: Take away Austin, and the mercurial Vinales has averaged just 11 points per event in 2024 – yet scored 37 in Texas when he took pole, won the sprint and Grand Prix (the latter after falling outside of the top 10 on lap one) and set the fastest lap of the race. It was a victory that made him the first rider ever to win in the premier class with three different manufacturers, a stat that summed the Spaniard up perfectly – he’s fast enough for multiple employers to want him, yet inconsistent enough that he regularly moves on; he’s not finished better than fifth in a race since round three’s dominance. Related: Vinales shifts again to KTM next season, and could just as easily sign off on a three-year Aprilia adventure with a win or a slew of 15th-place head-scratching finishes. 5. FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (DUCATI)Di Giannantonio has rewritten his MotoGP story in the past nine months. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 92/8thBest Grand Prix result: 4th (Netherlands)Best sprint race result: 5th (Netherlands)Best qualifying: 4th (France)Points compared to teammate: Di Giannantonio 92, Marco Bezzecchi 53Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Di Giannantonio 7, Bezzecchi 2Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Di Giannantonio 4, Bezzecchi 2Head-to-head in sprint races: Di Giannantonio 3, Bezzecchi 1Summary: Five races from the end of 2023, you’d have got long odds on the Italian even being on this year’s grid, let alone as number five on this list. Too high? Arguably. But the 25-year-old has raised his game significantly since scoring his first podium at Phillip Island last October before beating Bagnaia for a famous win in Qatar, comprehensively outclassing Bezzecchi in his first season for the VR46 Ducati squad after Bezzecchi won three races and finished third in the championship last year. Only Marc Marquez has scored more of the riders on Ducati’s 2023 bike, and for results relative to expectation, ‘Diggia’ has no equal. Losing out on a factory Honda vacancy that eventually went to Luca Marini was the mother of all bullets to have dodged, too … 4. PEDRO ACOSTA (GASGAS)Acosta arrived with big wraps – and immediately showed the hype was real. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 110/6thBest Grand Prix result: 2nd (Americas)Best sprint race result: 2nd (Spain)Best qualifying: 2nd (Americas)Points compared to teammate: Acosta 110, Augusto Fernandez 15Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Acosta 9, Fernandez 0Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Acosta 4, Fernandez 0Head-to-head in sprint races: Acosta 7, Fernandez 1Summary: Exceeding expectations when the pre-season hype was as high as Acosta’s is no surprise for the most highly-touted rookie since Marc Marquez, but shouldn’t be underestimated either. In nine races, he’s ended the MotoGP career of teammate Augusto Fernandez – who beat him to the 2022 Moto2 crown – and saw KTM sign him to replace Jack Miller for next year with more than half of this season to go. While Acosta’s results have slowed somewhat since scoring two podiums in his first three Grands Prix, he – at 20 – is the rider most likely to challenge Ducati’s dominance in the next few seasons. With a style that makes other riders shake their heads in wonderment and a maturity that belies his age, Acosta’s ceiling – for this year and the next 10 – looks limitless. 3. JORGE MARTIN (DUCATI)Martin has been as volcanically fast as ever, but remains prone to profligacy. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 212/2ndBest Grand Prix result: 1st (Portugal, France)Best sprint race result: 1st (Qatar, Spain, France, Germany)Best qualifying: Pole (Qatar, France, Italy, Germany)Points compared to teammate: Martin 212, Franco Morbidelli 55Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Martin 9, Morbidelli 0Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Martin 5, Morbidelli 0Head-to-head in sprint races: Martin 8, Morbidelli 0Summary: Too low for the rider who has led the standings after seven of the nine rounds this year? Perhaps … but this is a ranking of the best riders of 2024, not the fastest. If it was the latter, it’s Martin first and daylight second; over one lap in qualifying, and in the short-form sprint races he’s owned (13 wins in 28 starts), nobody is quicker. But the old Martin traits remain from last year’s failed title tilt; he’s still prone to crashing out of the lead in races (Spain and Germany), still defiant afterwards, and still rides with a chip on his shoulder that propels him into championship contention, but could just as easily continue to be an anchor to his ultimate potential. Martin’s rollercoaster isn’t as steep this year it was last, but it’ll be interesting to see if he can reduce the gradient of his rises and falls while knowing, with an Aprilia move for 2025 imminent, this year’s championship chase might be his last chance for some time.2. MARC MARQUEZ (DUCATI)New colours, same Marquez: the six-time MotoGP champion has been rapid from day one on a Ducati. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 166/3rdBest Grand Prix result: 2nd (Spain, France, Germany)Best sprint race result: 2nd (Portugal, Americas, France, Catalunya, Italy)Best qualifying: Pole (Spain)Points compared to teammate: Marc Marquez 166, Alex Marquez 79Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Marc Marquez 6, Alex Marquez 3Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Marc Marquez 6, Alex Marquez 1Head-to-head in sprint races: Marc Marquez 7, Alex Marquez 0Summary: Like Martin, Marquez would be number one if this was another list; in a four-week period, the Spaniard rebooted the 2025 rider market, had a hand in Ducati losing three top-flight riders and two bikes for next year, and reminded anyone who may have forgotten that his power hasn’t faded with his results since his championship avalanche abated in 2019. On track, Marquez has been routinely brilliant, fighting with Bagnaia and Martin on a bike that’s a year older, not getting anywhere near the level of developmental upgrades, and with a team he barely knows. Podiums have been plentiful, but a win to end a drought that has stretched to nearly 1000 days hasn’t happened. Yet. 1. FRANCESCO BAGNAIA (DUCATI)For a third straight year, Bagnaia has asserted himself as the sport’s benchmark. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesPoints/championship position: 222/1stBest Grand Prix result: 1st (Qatar, Spain, Catalunya, Italy, Netherlands, Germany)Best sprint race result: 1st (Italy, Netherlands)Best qualifying: Pole (Netherlands)Points compared to teammate: Bagnaia 222, Enea Bastianini 155Head-to-head with teammate in qualifying: Bagnaia 7, Bastianini 2Head-to-head in Grands Prix: Bagnaia 7, Bastianini 1Head-to-head in sprint races: Bagnaia 4, Bastianini 2Summary: Six victories from nine Grands Prix this season shows what Bagnaia has done and why he’s atop this list, but the numbers only tell part of the story. The 27-year-old is in his sweet spot, wielding his class-leading race management, tactical nous and pure pace to devastating effect, and largely eliminating the self-inflicted wounds of past campaigns that made his world championships harder (2022) and closer (2023) than his speed suggested they should have been. After France, where he trailed Martin by 38 points, Bagnaia won four Grands Prix on the spin, led every lap at Mugello and Assen in both races, and showed why he’s become MotoGP’s modern-day metronome – and number one on this list.

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MotoGP, Stefan Bradl in turmoil: “social networks are going crazy and I am the destroyer of Marc Marquez at the Sachsenring”

MotoGP, Stefan Bradl in turmoil: “social networks are going crazy and I am the destroyer of Marc Marquez at the Sachsenring”

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This German Grand Prix will be remembered for several memorable actions, but one of the most notable is the mishap between Marc Márquez and Stefan Bradl. During the qualifying session, Bradl disrupted the trajectory of Márquez, who was trying to set a good time for pole. Bradl, finding himself in the middle of the trajectory at a reduced speed, forced Márquez to brake to avoid a collision. This action led to Márquez finishing in 13th place on the starting grid and earned Bradl a three-position penalty.
Stefan bradl had the opportunity to explain himself to the press after
the qualifying session. He initially adopted a somewhat sarcastic tone by stating: “ social media is going crazy and I’m destroying Marc at the Sachsenring, awesome. » More seriously, he then detailed the circumstances of the incident in MotoGP : ” the last thing I wanted to do was block him. I made a quick turn, breathed quickly, looked at what was happening behind, nothing happened and drove slowly ».

Stefan Bradl: “ everything seemed much worse on television than it was in reality »
However … ” Then everything happened very quickly. I looked at my teammates, I saw Marc who was also slow on the right side. I thought Marc was preparing for the left turn and I wanted to make room for him. I didn’t want to spoil it for him, we get along well and we don’t have any problems between us.
I will be happy if he wins here, I celebrate him and I am a fan of him. Then everything went wrong and I decided to ride too late to the other side of the track.”
Bradl also explained that he immediately apologized to
Marquez after the incident: I went straight to Marc and apologized. We spoke privately and then the situation resolved itself. Marc is a professional. I just didn’t expect that, it was a stupid misunderstanding. We don’t know how fast we’re going at this point, it’s very difficult to judge. So there is no room on the Sachsenring, you cannot deviate anywhere. He told me it was okay, it could happen. Everything looked much worse on TV than it actually was. We talked about it like two men.”

 
 

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Márquez and Bagnaia: MotoGP’s new Punch and Judy show

Márquez and Bagnaia: MotoGP’s new Punch and Judy show

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The two major figures in the premier class will be sharing a pit from next year. On the dominant brand, it’s almost a given that one or the other will win the title. There is one other certainty. It will not be a happy camp.
Clever, if risky, manoeuvring by Márquez effectively forced the decision on senior Ducati management – race department boss Gigi Dall’Igna, Bologna’s biggest cheese, CEO Claudio Domenicali, and probably also higher-ups in their Audi ownership.
It surely wasn’t taken lightly. It meant losing the services not only of current championship leader and serial Sprint winner Jorge Martín and highly rated current team incumbent Enea Bastianini. A couple of weeks later they also lost their top satellite team, Pramac. This was a key factor in turning their back on two decades of close and favoured partnership with Ducati (Pramac, for example, are supplied with full factory-level bikes) to take up the same role with currently beleaguered Yamaha.
The build-up was long and complicated, but in essence was all about Márquez. His switch from Honda could hardly have gone better. No wins in the first eight races, but several podiums as a serious title contender, all while adapting his ingrained Honda style to a bike requiring a very different technique. A bike a step down from the factory Desmosedici, being last year’s model in the Italian satellite Gresini team.

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Marc was clear. He wanted a full factory bike for 2025. And while he was willing to stay in the Gresini team, alongside younger brother Alex, he rejected an offer to replace Martín at Pramac, with the younger rider promoted to the factory. Moving from one satellite squad to another was beneath his dignity. This left Ducati in a bind. Unwilling to give Gresini a factory bike, they risked losing Marc to one of the ever-improving European challengers, Aprilia or KTM. Strengthening their hand, while also losing the considerable promotional value of having Marc on a Ducati. Hence the all-or-nothing decision. The repercussions were far-reaching.
Firstly, Martín, denied promotion for a second year running, spat out the dummy and signed for Aprilia. “I will go somewhere where they want me,” he declared. This triggered the departure of Aprilia’s current top rider Maverick Vinales, whose win this year made him the first on three different makes in the four-stroke era. Unwilling to dispute number-one status with a strong younger team-mate, and mindful of the chance to become the first-ever premier-class winner on four different makes, he jumped ship to KTM. Likewise, Bastianini, who also moves to KTM, rather than accept demotion to Pramac. And then Pramac also dumped Ducati. Will it be worth it, or will these two top talents clash destructively?
The only comparable situation was in 2008, when Yamaha signed Jorge Lorenzo to join the then-dominant Valentino Rossi. Rossi was incensed and threatened to leave. Which he did, although only after three seasons. He’d retained his title in the first two; Lorenzo won the next, after Rossi broke his leg at Mugello, his first serious injury in a gilded career. The animosity was spectacular. Not only did Valentino refuse to share information and set-up data, he demanded a wall down the middle of the shared pit-box. At Ducati, all their riders (eight altogether) share all their data. Will Pecco and Marc be willing?

There is also a Rossi element. Bagnaia is very much his protégé, hand-picked and carefully nurtured throughout his career. Rossi never took kindly to rivals, even in other teams. His open hostility to Max Biaggi was legendary. Even before they met on track, still on 250s while Max was on a 500, he belittled him constantly. Given his media-savvy charm, he carried popular opinion with him. His next deadly enemy was Márquez, who arrived as an interloper to his kingdom in 2013, and started winning right away. His dislike cost him a tenth championship. After an astonishing verbal attack, he barged Marc off the track at the penultimate round. Penalised with a back-of-the-grid start next time out, he lost the crown by just five points. To Lorenzo …
Just how he feels about Ducati bringing Marc into his favourite’s comfort zone can only be imagined. He has not yet spoken. Bagnaia, for his part, has stuck to the sponsor-friendly newspeak that prevails in the new-century paddock. Apparently, he doesn’t mind who his team-mate is. Oh really?
Maybe none of the classic pairing mentioned above really fit the bill. This one is going to be more Punch and Judy than Bonnie and Clyde.
 
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.


Race
Modern
MotoGP
Marc Marquez
Pecco Bagnaia
Ducati

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MotoGP, Sachsenring J3, Alex Marquez (Ducati/3): when I saw Marc right behind me, I said to myself: “f….., what do I do now?”

MotoGP, Sachsenring J3, Alex Marquez (Ducati/3): when I saw Marc right behind me, I said to myself: “f….., what do I do now?”

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Alex Marquez crossed the finish line of the German Grand Prix in third place, behind Pecco Bagnaia and his brother Marc Marquez. The recently renewed Gresini Racing Ducati GP23 rider thus signs his fifth podium in MotoGP, the 43rd of his career. For the first time, he shared the podium with his brother, which made this moment even more special.
George Martin, who was leading the race, fell two laps from the end, thus ceding the victory and the championship lead to
bagnaia. Marc was promoted to second place, while Alex had the opportunity to complete the podium. The celebrations of Gresini Ducati were intense since their two pilots, the brothers Marquez, finished on the podium.
« It was not easy to manage the front and rear tires in perfect conditions “, told Alex Marquez at Sky Sport. “ When I saw Marc right behind me, I was like, “What the fuck do I do now?” » Then, when I saw Martin’s accident, I feel sorry for him, but my body was shaking. I saw Franco Morbidelli hold off Enea Bastianini, so we were lucky »
The fight between bastianini et
Morbidely gave Alex the push to follow his brother onto the podium. Alex described his race as an exercise in tire management: “ everyone was trying to save tires. It was a management lap, trying not to use the rear tire too much. Later, I had difficulty overtaking Morbidelli »
He also mentioned the differences between the GP23 and GP24: “ they have more in certain areas, notably when braking and entering corners, where you have to overtake. » Despite these challenges, Alex managed to maintain a good pace and finish on the podium.

Alex Marquez: “ 7th place was a real goal because we didn’t have the pace »
Alex expressed his joy at sharing this moment with his brother: “
it was a very good day for us. An unexpected podium for me. Before, I said that 7th place was a real goal because we didn’t have the pace. But we made changes that worked very well »
He also spoke of the fall of
George Martin : ” when Jorge fell, my body was shaking. I didn’t know what to think about it. I looked at the big screen to see where Enea was because we know he is very fast in the last laps. I tried to control until the end because I was at the limit with the tires »
Regarding his season, Alex said: “ until yesterday it was a 6/10. Today, 6,5 with the podium! We weren’t fast enough at the start of the season, except at Jerez.
The race pace was not what we should have had. Today we had a good pace. I hope we can turn things around and be fast until the end »
The German MotoGP was Alex’s third podium since joining Gresini. Last year he finished third in Argentina and second in Malaysia, while he also won the sprint races in Malaysia and Silverstone. This year, after being joined in the Gresini box by his brother Marc, he had to wait for the Sachsenring to return to the podium.
« Doing 30 laps here is not easy, we don’t even remember the departure. You get to the end trying to keep up with your own pace. I fought with Oliveira, then with Morbidelli, who is difficult for everyone to overtake. I had a good pace and I didn’t expect it. I gave everything until the end, when Marc passed me, I had no more. Honestly, when I saw Jorge fall, me second and Marc third, my legs started to shake, I was very nervous. I wanted to see the checkered flag and go home. Marc had more, without Martin’s fall, today I was fourth “, concluded Alex Marquez.

MotoGP, Sachsenring J3: rankings
German GP MotoGP race

General classification

Ranking credits motogp.com
 
 

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