Francesco Bagnaia has played down recent comments from new teammate Marc Marquez, in which the Honda rider claimed that the double Italian MotoGP champion enters 2025 with more “status” than him due to his status as a “reference” in the Ducati factory team. Despite Marquez’s allusion to the superiority of Bagnaia, who gave Ducati two world titles in recent seasons, the Turin-born rider has made it clear that, for him, the hierarchy in the team is not rigidly defined, but depends on the results that emerge during the course of the season.

Speaking recently, Bagnaia explained his perspective at Ducati’s “Campioni in Festa” celebration in Bologna, where he was asked about Marquez’s words. The Spaniard, who holds six MotoGP world titles with Honda, openly acknowledged Bagnaia’s greatness, highlighting his achievements, such as the eleven victories in 2023 and his contribution to Ducati’s return to the championship. However, Marquez added that his goal was to work to get closer to Bagnaia and keep up with his pace.

Despite Márquez’s recognition, Bagnaia has pointed out that the concept of “number one” in a team is relative and changes over time. “I think that in the end the ‘number ones’ in the team are not and should not be. The season always starts from the beginning, with the same voice and vote of the riders, and I think that things change throughout the season, because each time it starts from scratch,” said the Italian.

Bagnaia also clarified that, although there is a natural status based on previous results, performance on the track is what defines the team’s internal hierarchy during the year. “If during the season one driver is ahead [in the championship] and the other is further back, you have to work to try to help the one in front,” he explained, making it clear that teamwork will prevail over any other status considerations.

The Italian also highlighted Marquez’s ability to quickly adapt to the Ducati environment, mentioning that his teammate is an “extremely intelligent” person who quickly understood how the team works and the working dynamics they have. Bagnaia praised the collaboration between the two, pointing out that during pre-season testing in Barcelona, ​​they both managed to quickly identify the aspects that needed improvement and those that were already working well.

“At the [Barcelona] test we did a great job [together], so if we continue like this, we are already on a good path,” said Bagnaia, stressing that the working relationship between the two drivers was progressing positively.

The Barcelona test, where Bagnaia and Marquez were third and fourth fastest on a prototype version of the 2025 Ducati GP25, was considered a success for Ducati. The Italian explained that the change of venue following the cancellation of the Valencia test was beneficial, as the Barcelona track offers a low grip level that allows for testing more settings and reaching high speeds, which is key for the development of the bike.

“This year in Barcelona the track is better [for testing] from many points of view: you reach one of the highest top speeds in the World Championship and the grip level is low, so you can try more things,” explained Bagnaia. Both he and Marquez had similar feelings during testing, which allowed the team to quickly identify the areas that need adjustments and those that are already at a high level.

With the official Sepang test scheduled for 5-7 February 2025, Bagnaia is optimistic about the progress Ducati has made in pre-season. “In the end it was also easier for the engineers and for Gigi [Dall’Igna, Ducati Team Principal] to identify the way forward in order to arrive a little more prepared for Malaysia,” concluded the Ducati rider, who is confident that the team will continue to improve as the new season approaches.

The relationship between Bagnaia and Marquez seems to be heading in the right direction, with an effective and respectful collaboration that could benefit both Ducati and both riders. While the status within the team may change depending on the results, it seems that the working dynamic at Ducati is on track to achieve great results in 2025.