The rivalry between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi has left its mark. Tensions between the two drivers and their supporters came to a head during the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix. Since then, Marquez has often been seen as public enemy number one by Italian fans. But we must believe that the MotoGP landscape has undergone a major evolution with his arrival at Ducati. Ten years after the tensions arising from his rivalry with Valentino Rossi, the Spaniard seems to have won the hearts of Italian fans…
The season 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of one of the most significant moments in recent MotoGP history: the confrontation between Valentino Rossi et Marc
Marquez in Sepang in 2015which gave birth to one of the greatest rivalries in motorcycling. At the time, Marquez has become public enemy number one for fans of Rossisparking animosity that has continued to grow over the years. However, ten years after this incident, the situation has radically changed, and it is the arrival of Marquez chez
Ducati which marks this turning point.
During the presentation of the
Lenovo Ducati in Madonna di Campiglioas part of the “Campioni in Pista” event, Marc
Marquez made his official debut as a member of the factory team at Borgo Panigale. He not only put on the red costume of Ducati for the first time, but also had the opportunity to meet supporters of the Italian brand. It was a landmark moment for the Spaniard, who not only found a new team but also began to reconcile with an Italian public who, in the past, had perceived him as an adversary.
The connection between Marquez and the Italian public started the year before, when he left
Honda after more than a decade to join
Gresini Racing. His win at Misano and the celebration that followed showed he was ready to take a step forward with the home fans. However, during his first victories, he remained cautious, leaving Pecco Bagnaia all the limelight and not getting too involved in the celebrations.
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Marc Marquez :
« the Ducatista is a very demanding fan, with a warm heart. I feel identified with this passion »
But the 2025 season promises to be decisive for
Marquez. As a factory driver
Ducatithe pressure is now greater. The eight-time world champion clearly stated that his goal was to aim for the title, but in harmony with
Bagnaia : « the goal will be for the title to be red. Pecco red or number 93 red. We have to work hard to bring the title home“, he said during the presentation. He made it clear that he would not come into the team to harm Bagnaiabut to work together to make Ducati even stronger. “ The Ducatista is a very demanding fan, with a warm heart. I feel identified with this passion“, added Marc Marquezemphasizing his respect for the brand and its supporters.
The impact of signing Marquez chez
Ducati don't wait. The team presentation was followed by 2.6 million viewsan impressive figure compared to 433,000 views from the previous year. After the presentation, the meeting with supporters confirmed what many suspected: Marc Marquez managed to conquer the hearts of the Ducatisti. The rivalry of yesteryear now seems behind him, and the Spanish driver seems ready to write a new chapter in his career with Ducatisupported by Italian fans now behind him.
