Marc Marquez has spoken about his signing with the factory Ducati MotoGP team for 2025 for the first time publicly ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Following the Italian GP three weeks ago, Ducati announced that it had signed the eight-time world champion to its factory team for 2025 – going against its original decision to promote Jorge Martin from Pramac.
Ahead of the Dutch GP at Assen, Marquez spoke of the build-up to Ducati’s announcement, which acts as something of a full circle moment in the 31-year-old’s MotoGP career.
Ahead of the Dutch GP 12 months ago, Marquez had just come from a German GP weekend in which he crashed five times and withdrew from Sunday’s race following a warm-up spill that left him injured.
That moment came amid a torrid run for Marquez on the Honda in which its lack of competitiveness led him to repeatedly crash out of races, and led to serious questions about his future.
Speaking on Thursday at the 2024 Dutch GP, Marquez admitted he was contemplating retiring at last year’s Assen round before the possibility of joining Gresini Ducati began to emerge.
That moment ultimately led to his move to the factory Ducati squad for 2025, having scored eight podiums in total in the first seven rounds of the current campaign.
“I’m super happy and I’m very thankful to Ducati Corse to choose me as team-mate to Pecco [Bagnaia], especially because one year ago here I was super close to saying ‘Ok, this is the end of my career’,” he said on Thursday at Assen.
“But luckily it was the summer break, I recharged the batteries, I recharged my body and from that point I decided another way.
“In that decision, of course thanks to Honda at the same time because they understood perfectly my situation and allowed me to go to Gresini team.
“In the Gresini team, I feel immediately – and I understand that the bike was ready to have that confidence again – the atmosphere of that team was the best one to renew a rider that was in some way lost.
“So, from that point I tried to do my best and I was one of the contenders for that Ducati official bike, and already that was a pleasure.
“On Sunday night after Mugello they informed me that they decided that I will be the rider. In two days we closed the contract and on the Wednesday we announced it.”
On the run up to the Italian GP, which Ducati had earmarked as the deadline for its factory seat decision, Marquez had spoken numerous times about the “plan” he had for his future.
When asked if the factory seat was his plan all along, Marquez – who publicly rejected a move to Pramac - insists it was either that or remaining at Gresini on a works bike.
“In my team, or around my team, nothing changed,” he added.
“We had the same information from Le Mans to Montmelo to Mugello. They were thinking to take the decision, Wednesday in Mugello they were still thinking and I was comfortable.
“I was very clear and honest about what I wanted. I wanted the latest bike in Gresini team or the official team.
“They chose me for the official team, so I’m even happier. The target of a rider is to be in the official team and to ride in red next year is a pleasure, and I will try to defend the colours in the maximum way and with the biggest effort.”
Marquez says he has not been told who his crew will be for 2025, other than the tyre technician he brought from Honda to Gresini – Javi Ortiz – coming with him.
At present, it’s unclear if he will continue working with Frankie Carchedi as crew chief, switch to current Enea Bastianini crew chief Marco Rigamonti or reunite with Santi Hernandez.
Marquez’s insistence to only commit to a single year with Gresini upon leaving Honda meant he could not bring long-time crew chief Hernandez with him, out of fears he could walk to a rival manufacturer with vital information in 2025.
