Crew chief reveals “thing that surprised me the most” about Marc Marquez

Marc Marquez’s crew chief Marco Rigamonti has revealed how the lighter side of working with the eight-time World Champion has been his biggest surprise since they started collaborating at the start of the 2025 MotoGP season.

The pair joined forces following Marquez’s promotion to the factory Ducati Lenovo Team where Rigamonti was stationed having worked as crew chief for the outgoing Enea Bastianini in 2024.

The delicacy of establishing a good working relationship between a rider - particularly one of Marquez’s calibre - and a new crew chief has led to a number of failed collaborations over the years, but Rigamonti and the Spaniard are already enjoying significant success together this season.

Indeed, after eight rounds and 16 races, Marquez has won on 11 occasions and established a comfortable lead in the overall standings.

It’s an immediate success that Rigamonti credits to Marquez’s proactive attitude towards a collaborative approach and his commitment to understanding his data.

“I felt very happy [when I was chosen to be Marquez’s crew chief] because I felt that Ducati valued me because if they choose me to work with a rider like Marc it's for a reason,” Rigamonti told Mundo Deportivo.

“Secondly, I was very excited to be able to work with a rider of Marc's calibre, to understand how he works, how he approaches people, the team. I was curious to know how to work with a pilot of this caliber. On the side of concerns, nothing.

“Because it's so positive to work with a rider of this level that having worries about not being up to the task doesn't get you anywhere. It makes you work badly, you don't know if you're agitated or worried.

“We have to work in the best possible way and with serenity. Zero worries. After working with him I can tell you that it is very pleasant to work with him, you learn a lot, there is a lot of exchange between us because he rides strong but he also understands a lot what happens on the bike.

“He gives you directions, he's very good at explaining, he's very good at looking at the data. Now I can tell you that it's also good technically because you're dealing with someone who not only rides like a beast, but also understands.”

Pressed on what has ‘surprised’ him most since working with Marquez, Rigamonti reveals his light-hearted, joking nature has helped bind the team around him in a way he did not anticipate.

“Character, character with people,” he continued. “You're expecting a VIP pilot, someone who has won everything. So you think it's perfect but you're wrong. On the other hand, he is always saying that he is wrong, that he has made a mistake, that he has not given you the right directions, he greets everyone, he thanks everyone...

“It has to be that way but it is not that frequent. Character is what has surprised me the most, wanting to work as a team. That's the most beautiful thing from a human point of view, since you can work with it.

“Then he also likes to laugh and joke around, so we also enjoy working with him from a human point of view.

“Then, from a driving point of view, what surprised me is how much he understands technically. A lot of people say that a rider who is as good as him is good at everything.

“But actually, I think he's good at everything and gives you 100% of what you give him, but it's not that he doesn't understand and he just goes fast.

“He gives you the instructions and you can improve based on what he tells you.”