The countdown to MotoGP testing is officially underway as several teams launched their rider lineups and colors ahead of the Malaysian shakedown, which gets underway on January 31.
Of chief interest was Ducati’s factory effort. With its riders sharing 11 World titles and 90 MotoGP race wins between them, Bologna can rightfully call its roster of Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez the “dream team,” with the pair fully expected to be the chief championship contenders.
Bagnaia was in no doubt. As the Jorge Martin and Aprilia combination is still unproven, and KTM is submerged in doubts regarding its future in the class, the eight-time World Champion who will occupy the other side of the garage will be the benchmark.
Speaking in Ducati’s official clothing for the first time at a launch in Madonna di Campiglio in Northern Italy, Marquez played down expectations for the year ahead, insisting that his aim is “to be in the top three” at the end of the year while getting to know his new surroundings. Yet Bagnaia looked at the eight-time champ’s achievements in 2024 as reason to fear him most this time around.
“From what we saw last year, I think Marc will be the main contender,” said the Italian. “He has one more year of experience with our bike. The new bike will suit him much better. He was already doing an amazing job [in 2024]. We’ll have to see during the season how the others are. But now, looking at the championship, I think it’ll be us two fighting and then someone else. But the main two are us.”
“Harmony” was a keyword used at the presentation by Sporting Director Mauro Grassilli, who emphasized both riders will work together for the good of the team. Marquez even opined the most important achievement in 2025 is to ensure the team is successful, no matter the rider—not that anyone watching believed him.
“When you arrive in a factory team, there is no number one and number two,” said the Catalan. “I’m looking forward to understanding what they do inside the garage to be so dominant. I’ll try to understand and learn about it. He’s [Bagnaia] won two World Championships here. From one practice to another one, he’s nowhere [to] the fastest on the track. I’ll try to learn a lot about him. And trying to be in the top three at the end of the season will be the main target.”
Having ceded his crown to rival Martin despite winning 11 races, Bagnaia has spent recent weeks relentlessly analyzing his mistakes and worst races from 2024 in a bid to enjoy a more consistent campaign this time around.
“I spent hours rewatching and analyzing my mistakes and worst races from last year,” he said of his winter. “I always need to be as in front as possible. But sometimes it’s better to wait. The championship is very long. Last year it wasn’t always my fault. But in more than one situation, if I waited, I wouldn’t have crashed. For sure, I’d have taken 13 points, which would’ve been enough to win [the championship]. I lost the front many times when I was calm. It wasn’t always easy to understand, but I will try.”
The MotoGP world just as eagerly listened to Martin’s first official words in Aprilia colors at its own launch days earlier in the Italian city of Milan. “Maybe yes. Maybe no,” was the current number one’s verdict of whether Aprilia can challenge for the ultimate honors in 2025.
But the striking aspect of the launch was how enthusiasm abounded among Aprilia management and engineers as it presented its “strongest ever lineup,” according to brand ambassador Max Biaggi, of Martin and Marco Bezzecchi.
The sleek black and silver of Aprilia’s ’25 RS-GP was complemented by an increased number of sponsorship stickers—the consequence of having the world’s number-one rider in their ranks. And despite having to absorb two new riders, new Technical Director Fabiano Sterlacchini, there was a feeling that Aprilia already made some important improvements on last year’s temperamental machine at November’s test in Barcelona.
Both riders talked up the bike’s front-end stability. “It was unbelievable, the best bike I rode in terms of front end,” said the MotoGP World Champion. And there was a feeling several aerodynamic upgrades, including a new fairing, had helped move the RS-GP on from what Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales raced in 2024.
More than that, most of the good vibes stemmed from Aprilia counting on a MotoGP Champion for the first time in its history. And compared to one year ago, when Martin was suffering from a crisis of confidence, he stated the hunger to succeed hasn’t been diluted by achieving motorcycle racing’s top prize.
“Exactly one year ago, it was one of the worst moments of my life, actually,” Martin said. “So, I’m happy about this because I feel great. For the past two years, I was racing, and I was training because I’m really disciplined. But now I feel I’m really motivated. I hope it’s the beginning of something big.”
While Martin’s otherworldly riding technique should guarantee results, Aprilia’s bosses were keen to talk up the Spaniard’s leadership qualities. To Sterlacchini, that was immediately evident on their first day of working together. “I saw that immediately on the Monday [after] he was the World Champion,” he said. “At the end of the test, he took all the people in the technical meeting, and he did a speech. I was a bit astonished: [and thought,] ‘Is this a first minister of the world, or is it a rider?!’ [It was] the motivation and the message he was delivering. So, chapeaux, because he is only 26.”
Trackhouse Aprilia also revealed its surprisingly sponsor-light livery for the upcoming year at a presentation in factory headquarters in Concord, North Carolina. Team owner Justin Marks is confident the team is well placed to build on its first season in the class. “The first year in the championship there was a lot to learn for me. Now we’re starting to see how MotoGP fits into this structure. And Raul’s [Fernandez] going to be competitive. And I’m super excited to see Ai [Ogura] coming onboard.”
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