Dall’Igna quizzed on Marquez in factory team, on a ‘24 bike, animosity in Italy
Watch Live Race and all sessions
Watch Replay Race and all sessions
2023 MotoGP Race Calendar,Race Results and Replays
2023 MotoGP Standings
The eight-time world champion will join Gresini in 2024, on a one-year contract to ride a ‘23-spec Desmosedici.But how the year will pan out, and Marquez’s future beyond it, remain up for debate.Ducati general manager was asked by AS about rumours not every boss at the manufacturer is happy about Marquez’s arrival, and he replied: “When an eight-time world champion wants to get on your bike, you can’t not be happy, because it’s probably even better than winning the World Championship. “That Marquez wants to get on the Ducati gives me extreme pleasure. I’m really happy.”A small possibility to join Pramac briefly existed before Marquez penned terms with Gresini – but was it ever considered to throw him straight into the factory team?“At this moment, we have so many riders and everything is so well organised that this reasoning could not be raised,” Dall’Igna said. “I would say no. You cannot think about putting Marquez in the official team.”What about giving him a latest spec bike?“There is no possibility of carrying out this idea because everything has happened too late,” he replied. “It was useless to think something like that.”In 2025 Marquez – and most of the grid including Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin – are due to become free agents.It means every manufacturer can shop around, and every rider can consider their options.“We know the complexity of managing Marc,” Dall’Igna said about his long-term future. Related “It’s a problem because not all of the Ducati executives wanted Marc Marquez” “Do you want a rival that cleans you out?” – Stoner on how to win the mind games“We are in a really great situation at the rider level, because everyone is doing very well. “We’ll see what happens. I am immensely happy with the riders we have at Ducati at the moment.”Dall’Igna addressed concerns that Marquez’s high-profile arrival could ruin the dynamic within MotoGP’s best team.“We know that there is some risk and that we will have to be good at managing this and the difficulties that arise well,” he said. “It is never easy, because when you already have two riders with the same bike who are competing for the World Championship, it is not easy, because the situation is somewhat explosive.“But for next year we will have to be attentive to manage the relationships between several riders well.”An intriguing aspect of Marquez joining Ducati will be the reaction within Italy.Marquez waged battles with Valentino Rossi – who rode most successfully for Yamaha at the time – but some Italian fans may still have animosity towards the Spaniard.“We must keep in mind that Marc does not have a contract with Ducati,” Dall’Igna said. “Marc has a contract with Gresini and we are oblivious to this type of reasoning. “But as I see it, Marc is one of the most important riders in the history of world motorcycling.”
For motorsport news follow TRmotosports on social media.
