Marquez, a fourth place debut
Yesterday we got a juicy taste of 2024. Marc Marquez in fact, he got on the Ducati Desmosedici GP23 in the post-season tests in Valencia, immediately taking an interesting fourth place and beating his brother Alex, teammate in the Gresini team. Naturally the times cannot be indicative, what mattered at the “Ricardo Tormo” were the sensations while riding (especially in the case of bike changes) and trying something new, as Ducati did on the engine. For Marquez, then, it was also an opportunity to find himself enthusiasm riding a MotoGP: enthusiasm that also imbued the Gresini team, eager to work with an eight-time world champion and absolutely euphoric after the day of testing.
Dall’Igna’s words
Gresini’s enthusiasm is not shared in the same way by the Factory team, which in 2024 will find itself defending the title against a very fierce competitor (and what a competitor) eager for redemption. The challenge, however, fascinates the general director of Ducati Corse Gigi Dall’Igna, who confirmed that having Marquez at home was not really in the plans of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer: “Ducati’s position was probably that of don’t want Marquez. I’m curious to see him, to hear his comments, what he will tell me, because he is one of the most important riders in the history of motorcycling and it is an honor that he wanted to race with our bike. Marc is an uncomfortable driver, one of the most important in the history of the World Championship. So we will have to be good at managing the relationships between all the teams, between all the people who work at Ducati, because I believe that one of our strengths is harmony within our structure“, these are the words of Dall’Igna to “Ricardo Tormo”.
“What I like and honors me is the fact that a champion like him chose our bike and had the confidence to love it. This makes me proud. I think the fact that he has a one-year contract is reasonable, in the sense that satellite team riders usually don’t have very long contracts. Can you improve the bike? I listen to all drivers exactly the same way. I’ve never followed a rider, I think it’s a mistake, because the important thing is to improve the bike. I have always listened to all drivers throughout my life and will continue to do so“.
Styles to harmonize
“Our bike has won with almost every rider who has used it, so I imagine we will be able to adapt it to his riding style“, concluded the Venetian engineer. “For Bagnaia I believe that nothing changes. He is a two-time world champion and must do everything to win his third title. There are not many drivers who have managed to win the world championship two years in a row, which makes it one of the most important“.
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