Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez rivalry set to define MotoGP 2025

Ducati faces a challenge managing two top riders as MotoGP 2025 approaches.

Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team and Spanish MotoGP rider Marc Marquez of Ducati Lenovo Team attend the MotoGP launch party at One Bangkok mall in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 9, 2025. Photo by Anusak Laowilas/Nur

By Randy Ahmad and Yuni Utomo

The battle between Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez is expected to take center stage in MotoGP 2025. With Ducati bringing two of the sport’s most dominant riders onto the same team, the Italian manufacturer faces a significant challenge in managing their competitive ambitions.

The move to pair Bagnaia, a two-time world champion, with Marquez, a six-time titleholder, has raised concerns about potential clashes within the team. Both riders have a history of fierce competition, and their combined eight world championships make Ducati’s garage one of the most formidable in MotoGP history.

Marc Marquez seeks redemption in Ducati colors

Marquez is determined to reclaim his place at the top after several difficult years with Honda. Plagued by injuries and uncompetitive machinery, the Spanish rider struggled to challenge for the championship in recent seasons. Now, armed with Ducati’s race-winning bike, he is chasing a seventh MotoGP title. A championship victory in 2025 would place him level with Valentino Rossi—his long-time rival and one of the greatest riders in the sport’s history.

Francesco Bagnaia looks to bounce back

For Bagnaia, the upcoming season is about redemption. Despite winning 11 grand prix races last year—nearly four times as many as Jorge Martin—he lost the championship battle. Now, he is motivated to prove himself once again, this time against Marquez, on equal machinery.

With both riders determined to establish dominance within the team, tension could build inside Ducati’s garage. The challenge for Ducati management will be to ensure that internal competition does not spiral into a conflict that disrupts their title aspirations.

Pedro Acosta weighs in on Ducati’s challenge

KTM factory rider Pedro Acosta, one of MotoGP’s rising stars, believes that Ducati will face difficulties managing two top-tier riders. The 2023 Moto2 champion, who has now stepped up to MotoGP, sees the situation as a potential headache for the Italian manufacturer.

"It’s not my problem, but you can’t have two number-one riders in the same garage," Acosta told Motosan.

Acosta, who has been dubbed El Tiburón (The Shark), is expected to challenge the Ducati duo on his KTM. However, he acknowledges that Ducati’s primary battle may be within its own team rather than against external rivals.

Marc Marquez downplays concerns about team rivalry

Despite the concerns surrounding Ducati’s new lineup, Marquez has played down suggestions that tensions with Bagnaia could escalate. The Spaniard believes that both he and Bagnaia are mature enough to handle the situation professionally.

"If you put two roosters in the same cage when they are 22 or 25 years old, then it’s bad—it’s like a bomb," Marquez explained in a recent interview.

"But he’s 27, and I’m 32. Pecco is a real man, he’s calm. We’ve already worked together in pre-season to get the best out of the bike."

Marquez’s comments suggest that both riders are willing to cooperate in developing the Ducati Desmosedici GP25. However, once the racing begins, their rivalry will likely take center stage, with neither willing to concede an inch.

MotoGP 2025 kicks off in Thailand

The first race of the 2025 MotoGP season will take place in Buriram, Thailand, from February 28 to March 2. The Chang International Circuit has been a successful venue for both Ducati and Marquez in the past.

Marquez has won two grand prix races at Buriram, while Bagnaia secured victory in last year’s main race. The season opener will provide the first real glimpse of how Ducati’s new rider pairing will perform under race conditions.

As MotoGP 2025 gets underway, all eyes will be on the dynamic between Bagnaia and Marquez. With two elite riders battling for supremacy within the same team, Ducati’s challenge will not only be winning races but also managing the intense rivalry between its star riders.

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