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Jorge Lorenzo is impressed by Marc Marquez's neat debut with Gresini Ducati at the 2024 Qatar MotoGP / Photo: MotoGP
Jorge Lorenzo was impressed by Marc Marquez's neat debut with Gresini Ducati at the 2024 Qatar MotoGP. He thinks The Baby Alien has the opportunity to defend the factory Ducati team next year.
At the 2024 Qatar MotoGP, Marquez was able to finish fifth in the sprint in Qatar and then finished fourth in the main race. Lorenzo believes Marquez has made the best decision to save his career by leaving for the satellite Ducati team.
Lorenzo believes the six-time MotoGP champion will perform very well this season even though he may not be as good as before after being hit by a serious arm injury in the last few seasons. “I think he made the best decisions at a sporting level. He is one of the best racers in history, and the only one I have ever seen who is not afraid of falling or getting hurt,” said Lorenzo as quoted by Speedweek, Wednesday (13/3/2024).
“Most likely we won't see Marc like he used to because of a serious arm injury. But he will still be very, very good,” he added.
Even so, Lorenzo believes that Marquez will probably have difficulty competing with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) and Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) in the race for the title this year because they both ride the latest spec motorbike, namely, the Desmosedici GP24. Meanwhile, the eight-time world champion will only ride last year's spec motorbike, the Desmosedici GP23, which Lorenzo believes is clearly less fast than the new Borgo Panigale factory motorbike.
However, Lorenzo sees that this will not affect Marquez's future with Ducati where he signed a contract for just one season with Gresini. According to him, the good relationship between Marquez and Ducati Corse Manager, Gigi Dall'Igna, was the determining factor.
“Marc's relationship with Ducati and Gigi Dall'Igna will be very important. From the outside it seems like Ducati is not too enthusiastic about Marquez's arrival. But I don't think that's the case with Dall'Igna,” explained the three-time MotoGP champion.
“I would even say that he is the one who supports him the most. He wants to have the best riders in his ranks and I am sure Dall'Igna and Ducati will support him and want him to stay with Ducati in the future if he continues to ride as he did on his debut,” he added .
In fact, Lorenzo said it was not impossible for Marquez to get a seat on the factory Ducati team. As is known, Enea Bastianini's contract will expire at the end of this year so there is an empty seat that needs to be filled to accompany Bagnaia next season.
“It's very possible (Marquez joins the Ducati factory team). Ducati has the best motorbike and they can choose which rider pair they will have for 2025 and the future,” concluded the former Yamaha, Honda and Ducati racer.
(fly)