Ducati: “Marquez is coming - concern he may break the balance that exists”
Dall’Igna’s words, given to Sky Italia, are further confirmation that the eight-time world champion will indeed walk out of Honda and join younger brother Alex at Gresini next season.
The Italian added that negotiating an early exit from a big-money Repsol Honda deal just to ride a year-old Desmosedici is also a sign of how much Marquez wants even an ‘unofficial’ Ducati.
“Marc was one of the strongest riders in history. So the fact that he strongly wants to get on a Ducati can only be pleasing. He has decided to leave Honda for an unofficial Ducati: all the more this underlines the fact that he wants our bike,” Dall’Igna said.
“This is what I heard, but clearly there isn't an official announcement [about the Gresini deal] yet,” Dall’Igna added. “I think there are a lot of things to do and I think it's a complicated contract to break [with Honda], in the event that he wants to break it.
“But it seems to me that these are the declarations made. From our point of view they are pleasing.”
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The only potential downside for Ducati is if the presence of Marquez destabilises the other Desmosedici riders.
“There is certainly a concern that he could somehow break some balance that exists within all the Ducati teams. But this will eventually be part of the game and it will be up to us to be good at managing the situation.”
Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia (factory), Jorge Martin(Pramac) and Marco Bezzecchi (VR46) are currently filling the top three places in the world championship standings.
