Ducati claims if Marquez wins MotoGP title on old bike it’s image won’t be hurt

Ducati is confident that Marc Márquez winning the MotoGP championship on an old bike will not negatively impact the brand’s image. Team leader Claudio Dall’Igna emphasizes that Márquez’s arrival should not be seen as a problem, but as the presence of a champion riding his bikes.

At a time when harmony between Ducati riders was evident, rumors about Márquez’s possible arrival raised possible disagreements. However, Dall’Igna rejects this idea, arguing that a champion’s interest in racing their motorcycles should not be seen as a disadvantage.

“I really don’t see why Marc would be a problem for Ducati,” Dall’Igna told Motorsport.com. “Why would it be a disadvantage if a champion wants to ride your bike? I have a hard time seeing that as a detriment. Our goal is to find competitive riders who want to ride our bike.”

Ducati aims to repeat its great success in 2023; He broke all previous records by winning 17 out of 20 events, winning Francesco Bagnaia’s drivers’ championship and Ducati’s constructors’ title.

Dall’Igna thinks that if Márquez wins the championship on an old bike in 2024, this will not undermine Ducati’s technical progress with its new bike. If Márquez wins, he says, it’s because he was the best and he deserved it. According to Dall’Igna, it is the combination between rider and motorcycle that determines success.

“If Marc wins the next championship, it will be because he was the best and he deserved it,” says Dall’Igna. “The equation is very simple. I don’t see how I could damage Ducati’s image. I never thought about it, which is more important, the rider or the bike. It’s the winning combination.”

Dall’Igna recalled historical examples such as Gabor Talmacsi winning the 125cc championship and Marco Simoncelli winning the 250cc championship, both on the previous year’s bikes. He emphasizes that his main goal is to win and that it is not a problem if the new prototype does not improve the performance of the old model over time.

In summary, Ducati adopts a pragmatic approach where winning is a priority and considers the effectiveness of different strategies. Dall’Igna minimizes any concerns about Márquez’s possible impact on Ducati’s performance and reinforces his belief that the combination of talented riders and competitive bikes is essential to achieve success in the MotoGP world.