Dangerous to think Ducati will continue dominating MotoGP

New Ducati signing Marc Marquez believes it will be “dangerous” to assume the Borgo Panigale marque will remain the benchmark in MotoGP for 2025 and beyond.

The Italian outfit had been making major strides since the latter part of last decade, but it was only after the arrival of Francesco Bagnaia in the factory team for 2021 that it became the powerhouse that it is today.

Bagnaia won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 on the rapid Desmosedici amid a decline in fortunes of Japanese giants Honda and Yamaha, while Jorge Martin added another championship to Ducati’s tally in 2024 with the satellite Pramac team.

Given six-time champion Marquez has joined Ducati to partner Bagnaia this year, many expect Ducati’s dominance to continue at least until the end of the current rule cycle in 2026.

Marquez feels it would be unwise to get complacent though, having witnessed how quickly Ducati rose up the pecking order while he was racing for Honda in the late 2010s.

“It can be a dangerous atmosphere thinking that Ducati will win the championship [every year],” he said at the team’s 2025 bike launch.

“But we can see that all our development factors are on the same level because we are in MotoGP.

“Yamaha last year made a step. They can arrive in the Malaysia [test] with a new bike and they have [Fabio] Quartararo who is a super good rider. [With] KTM, [it is the] same. [And there is] Aprilia [and] Honda. 

“We are in MotoGP. What I learned when I was fighting against them, with [Andrea] Dovizioso, in 2017, is you need to take care of everybody because one point to another they can change the situation.”

Ducati enjoyed a record-breaking 2024 season as it won 19 out of 20 grands prix and swept the top eight positions in the sprint race at Buriram.

Although Marquez has joined the factory team, Ducati has lost Martin as well as race winners Marco Bezzecchi and Enea Bastianini from its roster to rival teams. 

Pramac also ended a two-decade partnership to join forces with Yamaha, leaving Ducati with six bikes on the grid this year as opposed to eight in 2024.

Jorge Martin, Aprilia

Photo by: Aprilia Racing

The Italian manufacturer has also slashed the supply of factory-spec machinery this year, with VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio the only rider other than Bagnaia and Marquez to have access to the latest GP25.

In the wake of the current situation, Bagnaia admitted that Ducati is unlikely to dominate the championship in the same way this year – with Aprilia and KTM expected to be its biggest challengers.

“I think that with a team less in Ducati [roster after Pramac’s exit], it will be more difficult to do like we did last year – lockout of the podium and races,” the double world champion conceded.

“KTM riders are super competitive, especially [Pedro] Acosta. But we have to see the [financial] situation [of KTM]. 

“Aprilia finally have a world champion [Martin], and also Bezzecchi – two new riders and with a lot to gain. Bezzecchi wants to improve the results from last year and Jorge wants to remain number one. So Aprilia will be competitive. 

“[With] Honda and Yamaha [it] is difficult to know. Yamaha last year was already a good step in front. In the last races they were more close, so they will improve [further]. 

“[For] Honda it will be difficult to continue in the same situation so I expect also a step in front from them. But the main ones are Ducati, Aprilia and KTM at the moment so let’s see.”