“Marc Marquez said last year” insight about early Ducati prediction

Marc Marquez believed he could have challenged for the 2024 MotoGP championship with a factory bike, a close ally has revealed.

Marquez swapped sub-par Honda machinery for a year-old Ducati last year, and it brilliantly rejuvenated his career.

He returned to winning ways and did enough to earn a promotion into Ducati’s factory team, where he sits now, at the expense of Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini.

However, he was unable to keep pace with Martin or Pecco Bagnaia who fought for the title until the final day with equal machinery.

Marc Marquez ally reveals his early Ducati feeling

“Gigi Dall’Igna has done a lot of things right in Ducati, Stefan Bradl, the Honda test rider who previously worked alongside Marquez, told GPOne.

“Last year with the GP24, he brought a much improved version of the GP23 to the track.

“This bike once again provided a significant technical boost.

“Marc said last year that he could have given Pecco and Jorge Martin a run for their money if he had a 2024 factory bike at his disposal. He understood it very early.

“Now in the factory team, all doors are open for him.

“Gigi is a fan of Marc and that the technician and rider speak a common language. They are a brilliant duo who have reached a higher level thanks to this close collaboration.

“It’s a combination like the one that existed at Ferrari between Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn or Jean Todt.”

Dall’Igna broke the recent Ducati philosophy of promoting talent from within to snatch Marquez for the factory team.

That faith has been justified already - even if it meant losing Martin and Marco Bezzecchi to Aprilia, and Bastianini to KTM.