Bagnaia and Marquez: before they're teammates

BORGO PANIGALE – The 2025 FIM MotoGP World Championship season will witness the new era of the factory Ducati Lenovo Team, which consists of two legendary world champion riders Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia and Marc Marquez, as they will battle for the world title. But before they're teammates in the Bologna red bullets, both Bagnaia and Marquez have battled each other as rivals when Marquez was with Repsol Honda from 2013 until 2023 and Bagnaia was with Pramac Racing from 2019 to 2020 and has since joined the factory Ducati team in 2021.

- Early beginnings
Marquez and Bagnaia during the 2020 Jerez pre-season test

Bagnaia made his premier class debut in 2019 signing for a two-year contract with Pramac Racing after the #63 rider won the Moto2 world title in 2018. In his first press conference with fellow rookies Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir, Bagnaia asked by journalists that "who will he battle in the future?" Bagnaia answered that he would battle against Marc Marquez for the title once he joined the factory Ducati team. Marquez dominated the 2019 season with 12 wins and 18 podiums, while Bagnaia's best finish that season was fourth place in Australia. The following season in 2020 that was disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic, Marquez and Bagnaia had the turbulent season; Marquez missed out the majority of the season due to shoulder injury he suffered at Spanish GP, while Bagnaia only scored his first podium at San Marino GP.

- The battle begins


In 2021, Bagnaia joined the factory Ducati team while Marquez's contract with Repsol Honda lasted until 2024. They battled each other for the first time at that year's Aragon GP, Marquez's home race, where the #63 Italian rival beats the #93 Spaniard in the battle. After taken another shoulder surgery in 2022, Marquez continued to battle Bagnaia, where at Phillip Island, Marquez overtook Bagnaia for 2nd place on the final lap of the race.

However, in 2023, Marquez unable to battle Bagnaia's Desmocedici who won the title, after his RC213V suffered mechanical issues throughout the season. Marquez only said that after 10 years onboard with Honda RC213V, the 2023 bike is really uncomfortable for him to ride. Marquez also added that the most recent Ducati Desmocedici will be the most comfortable to fight for the title. The Cervera Ant (Marquez's nicknamed) then terminated his Repsol Honda contract following that statement.

Marquez signed for Gresini Racing Ducati team for 2024 season and has since battled Bagnaia several times throughout the season. In June 2024, Marquez officially signed contract for factory Ducati squad, joining Bagnaia in a multi-year term. At the first half of 2024 season, Marquez used the GP23, and after signing his official factory Ducati contract in June, the #93 Spaniard began to supply the GP24 bike alongside factory riders Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, as well as Prima Pramac Racing's Jorge Martin and Franco Morbidelli in the second half of 2024 season, leaving VR46 Racing Team's Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio DiGiannantonio and Gresini Racing's Alex Marquez with GP23 bikes respectively.

So what's next for Pecco and Marc? Will one of them become the 2025 MotoGP world champion? Tune in to MotoGP.com for more!
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