Tuesday will mark Marc Marquez’s debut as an official Ducati rider.
Although it may sound like a cliché, this new stage will mark a before and after in the Spaniard’s career, as next year he will once again have all the muscles that drive the factory team after a season in Gresini, one of the most modest garages MotoGP, where he competed with Ducati last year.
An event as special as Tuesday’s premiere deserves the full attention of all parties involved.. The expectations are certainly comparable to those generated, for example, by Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha debut in that Sepang practice session (2004) or by Marc Márquez himself a year ago during his first experience riding it at Desmosedici.
#93 will wear a red overall in his signature color, as well as the Ducati color.. The bike, logically, will also be red, and only the rider’s number will be displayed on it – in addition to the brand of the manufacturer Borgo Panigale – championship tire supplier (Michelin) and exhaust system supplier (Akrapovič).
Marc Marquez will leave the Ducati box this Monday in Barcelona.
Photo: Oriol Puigdemont
There will be no trace of Red Bull, one of Marquez’s most loyal sponsors throughout his career, whose relationship will enter an enforced lethargy given Ducati’s ties to Monster. The contract between the energy brand Claw expires in 2027, a year after the contract between the boy from Cervera (Lleida) and the Bolognese builder. This will make it impossible for Marquez to continue promoting Red Bull at any event where he represents Ducati.
In fact, in areas that are the property of the team (jumpsuit, cap and motorcycle), the Catalan must have the green Monster Claw, but not on the helmet. Red Bull’s place in such a distinctive part as a helmet will probably be taken by Estrella Galicia.which will likely also replace the red buffalo branding on the water bottle that has become an essential accessory for pilots.
Another item that is most popular and popularized is glasses. And in this case, Marquez has a long-term agreement with Oakley. which, however, will not be able to use it as an image at a time when it will compete with Ducati, which is linked to Carrera. Like Monster, the company from Padua (Italy) also tried to attract the multiple champion, but he rejected the offer.
This Monday, during the preparation day, the new Ducati rider arrived in Montmelo around eleven in the morning. An hour later At twelve, he first met Gigi Dall’Igna, the manufacturer’s general director, and also entered the box.. There he sat in his corner, next to Marco Rigamontihis track engineer and Davide Tardozziteam manager. Around 1pm he left and went to eat at the Ducati restaurant.
Tuesday originally The man from Lleida will test the GP24, the prototype in which Banaya and Jorge Martin fought for the title until the last stop on the calendar, as well as the more developed hybrid version.. From the comments of Marquez and Pecco Banaia, it will be known that the GP25 that will take to the track during testing in Malaysia at the beginning of February is a motorcycle that will be much closer to the one that both will use in the first Grand Prix of 2025, in March, in Burirama.
Marc Marquez, Marco Rigamonti, his track engineer at Ducati, and Davide Tardozzi, manager of the official team of the Bolognese manufacturer. Today in Barcelona
Photo: Ducati Corse