FIRST LOOK: Marc Marquez’s 2024 Gresini Ducati MotoGP livery
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The duo’s racing colours were presented during a team launch at the Cocoricò disco in Riccione, Italy, on Saturday night, not far from the scene of Marc’s most recent MotoGP victory at Misano in 2021.The latest livery is a continuation of the same light blue and red colours used by Gresini for the last two seasons, during which they have won five race wins with former riders Enea Bastianini (4 in 2022) and Fabio di Giannantonio (1 in 2023).Despite Marc Marquez’s presence, there is still no title sponsor (or any Red Bull team branding, only a continuation of personal sponsorship deals). Alex has a blue #73 on the front of his bike, with Marc’s famous #93 in red.
The Marquez brothers, like VR46 riders Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio di Giannantonio, will race year-old GP23 machines, while world champion Francesco Bagnaia, factory team-mate Bastianini and Pramac riders Jorge Martin and Franco Morbidelli get the latest GP24.Without a race victory since September 2021, Marc Marquez finally lost patience with Honda during another punishing year in which he suffered a record 29 falls and, although the top RCV in the standings (14th), achieved just a single rostrum.Alex’s instant jump in form after joining Gresini last season and familiarity with the team environment surely played a big part in Marc’s shock decision and much has been made of the smile on the 30-year-old’s face after his first Desmosedici laps at Valencia last November.The #93 finished a close fourth fastest at the test and is already the bookies’ favourite for the 2024 title, although he insists it’s pointless to think of such an historic achievement until he is winning races again.“Of course, it’s a new chapter, especially in my career. The project is exciting and motivation is super high, but I also feel especially calm,” Marquez has said of his new challenge.Related WATCH LIVE: Marc Marquez unveils 2024 Gresini Ducati MotoGP livery Gresini: ‘Crucial’ to be at the maximum from first race“I made a very important decision. I chose a way and we will see if it’s the good one or not in the future, but the project is to try to find again that motivation and that racing spirit in the races, and fight for a good position.””I’m like a child with new shoes, as we say in Spain!” Marquez said at the launch. “I won a lot but the last 3-4 years have been hard for me. Having fun again on the bike [was my priority] and Gresini was the only one that waited for me.”Let’s have an amazing year, but ‘if you eat too fast, you don’t feel well’… The expectation is high but I know I have to work tirelessly to do what we can do.”
2024 will be Alex’s fifth year in the premier class, having made his debut alongside Marc at Repsol Honda in 2020, when his brother was sidelined after the Jerez openers due to the arm injury that would dog his career until mid-2022.This time around it is Marc joining Alex’s team, with the #73 switching to Gresini last year after two miserable seasons at LCR.The 27-year-old celebrated two Sprint wins, two Grand Prix podiums and a pole position on his way to ninth in the standings on the Desmosedici, despite missing India, Japan and Indonesia due to rib fractures.“I know what Marc’s been through since 2020. I knew what he needed. I talked to him as a brother and then he chose [Gresini],” Alex said at the launch. “It’s a dream for me to be team-mates again.”“This is a historic disco where I used to come when I was 20 years old to dance!” said Nadia Padovani, Gresini Racing team owner and wife of the late Fausto Gresini, of the launch location.“An independent team with an eight-time champion and ten world championships between both our riders is crazy! We would never have imagined!“We had contact [with Marc] but clearly he had a contract with Honda, so we couldn’t take it for granted. We waited until October and finally got the result we wanted.“We can’t wait to be on track and see how far we can go this year.”The Marquez brothers will take to the track in their 2024 livery during the official Sepang test from February 6-8, Marc having used a black and red test livery at Valencia last November.”4Gresini is the first MotoGP team to present its 2024 livery. Ducati Lenovo, VR46 Ducati and Trackhouse Aprilia will hold their team launches over the coming week.
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