The debate about to what extent the MotoGP riders who started the 2024 season with the latest Ducati specification had an advantage is still alive, although somewhat less than a few months ago when the Borgo Panigale brand had to decide who would partner Francesco Bagnaia in 2025 as second factory rider.
Enea Bastianini's poor start to the year left Jorge Martin and Marquez as the main candidates to take his place, and in the end, it was the latter who won the battle. According to Ducati, one of the most important reasons for choosing the Catalan, who at that time in Mugello had not yet won a race, was the performance he was able to demonstrate with a 2023 bike which, on paper, is inferior in performance to this year's prototype.
