In a twist that’s got the MotoGP world buzzing, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali is eating his words—and they’re tasting bitter. Back in 2023, as speculation swirled about Marc Marquez potentially joining the Italian powerhouse, Domenicali didn’t mince words: “Marquez is not the right rider for us.” Fast forward to March 2025, and with Marquez torching the field atop a factory Ducati Desmosedici, those remarks are looking like a colossal misstep. Now, with egg on his face and a championship lead in Marquez’s hands, Domenicali’s backpedaling is the hottest drama off the track. Buckle up—this one’s a wild ride.
Cast your mind back to mid-2023. Marc Marquez, then languishing on an uncompetitive Honda, was openly mulling his future. The Spaniard, a six-time MotoGP world champion, was a free agent in waiting, and Ducati—with their dominant bike and deep rider roster—seemed a natural fit. Fans on X were clamoring for it, envisioning Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia as an unstoppable duo. But Claudio Domenicali had other ideas. Speaking at a press conference during the Misano Grand Prix weekend, he shut the door hard. “Marc is an incredible talent, but he’s not right for Ducati,” he said, citing the team’s focus on “stability” and their faith in Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini. “We don’t need a rider who disrupts our project.”
The comments raised eyebrows then, but they’ve aged like milk in the sun. Marquez, frustrated with Honda’s stagnation, made the leap to Ducati anyway—not to the factory squad initially, but to the satellite Gresini team for 2024. Riding a year-old Desmosedici, he stunned the paddock with four Grand Prix wins and a third-place championship finish, proving he could tame Ducati’s beast. By late 2024, Domenicali’s tune had changed: Marquez was signed to the factory team for 2025, a move hailed as a coup. But two races into the new season, it’s clear—this wasn’t just a coup; it’s a reckoning.
If Domenicali hoped Marquez would quietly slot into Ducati’s system, he was dead wrong. The 32-year-old Spaniard has kicked off 2025 like a man possessed, sweeping Thailand and Argentina with a perfect 74 points from 74 possible. Pole positions, sprint wins, Grand Prix victories—Marquez is rewriting the script, and he’s doing it with a smile that says, “Told you so.” His margins over teammate Pecco Bagnaia—2.398 seconds in Thailand, 5.5 in Argentina—aren’t just wins; they’re statements. The “not right” rider is now the benchmark, leaving Ducati’s carefully laid plans in tatters.
The stats don’t lie: Marquez’s early-season form is the stuff of legends. He’s the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 2005 to win the opening two Grands Prix and sprints consecutively. Bagnaia, the two-time champion and supposed cornerstone of Ducati’s “stable” project, is reeling—third in Thailand, fourth in Argentina, and 31 points adrift. Posts on X are brutal: “Domenicali said Marquez wasn’t right, but Pecco’s the one who looks lost,” one user quipped. Another added, “Marc’s making Ducati his playground—Claudio’s got some explaining to do.” The CEO’s 2023 dismissal is now a punchline, and the irony isn’t lost on anyone.
Caught in the glare of Marquez’s brilliance, Claudio Domenicali has been forced into cleanup mode. After Argentina, he faced the press with a tight smile and a carefully worded pivot. “Marc has exceeded our expectations,” he said, sidestepping his 2023 remarks. “His talent is undeniable, and he’s bringing a new energy to the team. We’re thrilled to have him.” It’s a far cry from “not right,” but the U-turn hasn’t silenced the critics—or the memes. One X post circulating widely shows Domenicali’s 2023 quote next to a photo of Marquez spraying champagne, captioned: “Aged like fine wine, huh?”
Behind the scenes, though, there’s tension. Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati’s technical guru, has hinted at frustration with Bagnaia’s struggles, saying he’s “not satisfied” until Pecco’s back in contention. Domenicali’s initial rejection of Marquez was rooted in protecting Bagnaia’s status as the team’s linchpin, but that vision’s crumbling. Marquez’s arrival has upended the pecking order, and the CEO’s now juggling a PR headache with a team dynamic that’s anything but stable. “Claudio thought he could control this,” a paddock insider told Motorsport.com. “Marc’s proving he’s nobody’s pawn.”
The season’s young, but the stakes are sky-high. Austin looms next, a track where Marquez has won seven times—a golden chance to twist the knife further. If he keeps this up, he could bury Bagnaia’s title hopes before May. For Domenicali, it’s a double-edged sword: Marquez’s success is a triumph for Ducati’s bike, but it’s also a glaring spotlight on his 2023 misjudgment. Every podium Marquez climbs only deepens the CEO’s embarrassment—and fuels the narrative that he nearly let a generational talent slip away.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, isn’t out of it. He’s got time, talent, and Ducati’s resources to fight back, and tracks like Mugello could spark a revival. But the longer Marquez dominates, the harder it gets for Domenicali to dodge the past. Honda’s taking potshots too—an unnamed exec recently jabbed, “Guess Ducati found the ‘right’ rider after all.” The CEO’s desperate to save face, but with Marquez in this form, the damage might already be done. One thing’s certain: 2025 is shaping up as a season of reckoning—and Domenicali’s got front-row seats to his own redemption arc, whether he likes it or not.
