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Amanda Quick·
Motorcycle News
··1 min read

MotoGP: What Does Marc Marquez Think of his New Bike?

"The Valencia Test was Better Than Expected"

A front view of a MotoGP rider on a race track.
Marc Marquez - #93 - aboard his new Ducati bike with Gresini Racing. Media provided by CycleWorld.
  • Marc Marquez completed his first ride aboard the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP at Valencia, last November.
  • Results show Marquez finishing well, with a period of time where the Ant took the lead.
  • Conclusion of contract with Honda means Marquez can talk about his new machine.

The Ant of Cervera is apparently enjoying his new ride with Ducati’s Gresini Racing. 

Now that Marc Marquez’s contact with Honda has officially come to an end (and his new chapter with Gresini Racing has been signed), we hear from Alex Whitworth (Visordown) that the Spaniard has been enjoying his new Desmosedici. 

A front view of a MotoGP rider on a race track.
Marc Marquez – #93 – aboard his new Ducati bike with Gresini Racing. Media provided by Eurosport.

How did Valencia go?

Back in November, Marquez swung a leg over Gresini Racing’s Desmosedici machine to complete the test day at Valencia. Other than the Honda RC213V, this is, officially, the second MotoGP bike Marquez has had under him. 

Naturally, we wanted to know what Marquez thought about his time at Valencia. Here’s his feedback:

The truth is that the Valencia test was better than expected. Logically I was nervous, there were butterflies in my stomach… And even though I’ve been in the World Championship for many years, [moving from Repsol Honda to Gresini Ducati] was a big change.”

“But after the first stint, I was much calmer, relaxed.”

– Marc Marquez, interview with DAZN (via Alex Whitworth’s article on Visordown)
A front view of a MotoGP rider on a race track.
Marc Marquez – #93 – aboard his new Ducati bike with Gresini Racing. Media provided by Eurosport.

The reason for Marquez’s butterflies

According to Whitworth, Marquez wasn’t just getting a case of the typical track jitters; there was an additional reason to be worried about Valencia’s results, and it had everything to do with the Desmosedici’s current reputation. 

See also

Ducati’s current Grand Prix machine is an iconic ride; since 2003, Team Red has been snatching trophies with this platform, and 2023 was no exception. 

In other words, Ducati owes her massive 2023 success partly to the bike Marquez now rides… so no pressure, right? 

Are you excited to see what this eight-time world champ has in store for Gresini Racing and MotoGP 2024?

*Media provided by Cycleworld, as well as Eurosport*