Ducati confirmed that reigning MotoGP World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia will continue as the factory rider for the Ducati Lenovo Team in the 2025 season, joining six-time champion Marc Marquez in the same garage. Team manager Davide Tardozzi said the pairing creates a “dream scenario” and an internal rivalry as both riders compete for the title under Ducati’s strategic plan.
Ducati’s decision to field both Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia and Marc Marquez in the factory Ducati Lenovo Team for the 2025 MotoGP season has set the stage for a high-profile internal rivalry. Team manager Davide Tardozzi described the pairing as a “dream scenario” that simultaneously presents the challenge of managing two world champions competing under the same roof. Marquez currently leads Bagnaia by 26 points in the championship standings, illustrating the competitive tension within the team, according to official race records and team statements.
As of the early 2025 season, Ducati remains undefeated, with Marquez winning all four sprint races and three of the first four Grands Prix, while Bagnaia secured victory at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin.
Ducati has publicly emphasized that the rivalry is professional and controlled. Tardozzi has repeatedly dismissed concerns about internal discord, stating, “There is no fracture with Pecco,” and underscoring that the team’s “only thought is to help Pecco.” He confirmed ongoing technical discussions involving Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse’s technical director, and Riccardo Savin, head of chassis development, aimed at refining the Desmosedici GP package to better suit Bagnaia’s riding style. These strategic preparations include structured testing sessions, such as the Monday Jerez MotoGP test and recent meetings in Sepang, where both riders provide feedback that Ducati engineers must balance to avoid perceived favoritism. Tardozzi emphasized that both Marquez and Bagnaia maintain open communication during these tests, working collaboratively despite their on-track rivalry.
The rivalry between Bagnaia and Marquez has drawn attention from MotoGP experts and media. Former world champion Casey Stoner noted that the internal competition will hinge on “who Ducati wants to protect more,” highlighting the manufacturer’s central role in managing the balance of power between its two champions. Media outlets have compared the dynamic to historic MotoGP rivalries, particularly the long-standing conflict between Valentino Rossi and Marquez, partly due to Bagnaia’s background in the VR46 Academy. MotoGP.com and specialist publications have documented several “flashpoints” in the 2025 season where the two riders’ battles intensified, underscoring the symbolic importance of the intra-team competition given Ducati’s dominance on track.
Both riders have publicly acknowledged the rivalry as a professional contest without personal animosity. Marquez described Bagnaia as a “gentleman” and expressed confidence that their rivalry “won’t spill off-track.” He also acknowledged expectations of a title duel within Ducati while recognizing the manufacturer’s overall dominance over competitors such as KTM, Aprilia, and Yamaha. Bagnaia has accepted Ducati’s strategic decision to place two champions together, stating that the team “wanted this situation,” implying his commitment to the competitive framework despite occasional media portrayals of frustration related to internal pressures and comparisons to Marquez.
Bagnaia, born Jan. 14, 1997, has established himself as the centerpiece of Ducati’s recent MotoGP project, securing back-to-back world championships in 2022 and 2023. His success has solidified his status as the brand’s leading rider and public face during Ducati’s modern “golden era” in MotoGP, according to team records and official statements. Ducati’s strategic approach involves placing multiple champions within the same factory team to maximize performance and maintain manufacturer dominance.
Ducati entered the post-2024 period as the dominant manufacturer in MotoGP, with expectations to maintain its lead over rivals while managing the evolving intra-team rivalry. The manufacturer’s public messaging stresses unity and strategic planning rather than personal conflict, with Tardozzi affirming that the team is “not worried” about having two world champions in the same garage. Technical and strategic preparations include scenario-based race strategies and potential team orders to manage championship dynamics between Bagnaia and Marquez.
As the 2025 season progresses, Ducati continues to focus on sustaining its competitive edge while carefully balancing the demands of supporting two top-tier riders. The team’s efforts to refine bike setup and chassis development, alongside managing the psychological and tactical aspects of the internal rivalry, reflect a comprehensive approach to maintaining dominance in MotoGP’s evolving competitive landscape.
