MotoGP | Pedrosa without hesitation: “Marquez? A crafty one”

MotoGP has not yet reached its halfway point and the market is already going crazy, with the announcement of Marc Marquez in the official Ducati team for the next two seasons. This is just the latest of the releases that ignited the first part of 2024 and which will be the center of attention for the next few months. The eight-time world champion has not yet worn the red suit, but he has already written history by signing for the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, with which he will try to win his ninth title.

Marquez, at 31 years old, is now a veteran of the category and has already lived and written a lot of history. Dani Pedrosa also knows this well, having been his teammate for six seasons (from 2013 to 2018) and who, therefore, knows him very well. The driver from Sabadell himself published a video in collaboration with his main sponsor, Pont Group, in which he plays to define the rivals he has raced with with a single adjective, among other things. Marc Marquez’s definition stands out: Pedrosa describes him as “smart”. Appropriate in light of what has emerged over the years and, above all, in recent days? Very likely, according to the former pilot.

Among the various names submitted to him there is also Valentino Rossi. The Doctor was the first rival that Pedrosa had to face (and certainly the longest in terms of career). The adjective with which he defines him is in fact “rival”, precisely because of the years spent fighting on the track, between victories and defeats. Then came Jorge Lorenzo, with whom the rivalry was very heated over the years (so much so that the then King Juan Carlos intervened to make peace in Jerez in 2008). Relations have improved over time, so much so that the two recently challenged each other in a boxing duel, but no one ever revealed the outcome. Pedrosa, in describing Lorenzo with an adjective, says: “KO”. A clue to the winner of the battle?

Present and future: a mention cannot be missing from the reigning world champion. Pecco Bagnaia, perhaps less aggressive than other drivers on the track, stands out for his intelligence and foresight. The Ducati rider is not only strength, but also brains and Pedrosa defines him as a “perfectionist”. Also inevitable is Pedro Acosta, whom his compatriot describes with the word “future”. It couldn’t be otherwise for the rising star of MotoGP.