Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio both praised world champion Marc Marquez as VR46 debuted their 2026 MotoGP bike on Wednesday.
Team owner Valentino Rossi is Marquez’s best-known rival.But VR46 riders will have to strive to reach the benchmark the Spaniard has set for Ducati.
Morbidelli criticized Marquez His behavior during his infamous fallout with Rossi last year in 2015 will tarnish his standing in the MotoGP history books.
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But contact the media including Moto.it At the VR46’s Rome launch, Morbidelli raved about Marquez’s ride.
Franco Morbidelli feels ‘no pressure’ to catch the dominant Marc Marquez.
concrete Morbidly He said he would not be able to catch Marquez if he maintained his 2025 dominance. The seven-time MotoGP champion, who missed the end of the season with injury, needed to break through the race.
In the form above, Marquez For his brother Alex and teammate Francesco Bagnaia, the dreaded verdict is in ‘Absolutely Different’.
“Having a champion like Marquez riding the same motorcycle as you in your home is a great motivation,” explained Morbidelli. “It’s a stimulus.
“He really does incredible things on his motorcycle. Every day he pushes you to push yourself and reach his level.”
Prove me wrong: Marc Marquez would have at least 10 MotoGP titles without the injury.
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“If he dominates the way he dominated last year, there will be no pressure on him to perform for us. The pressure will come when you can fight him.
It’s a problem we didn’t have last year because Mark was in a completely different discipline.
Asked about Ducati Morbidelli set up their bike with Marquez’s choice, saying Luigi Daligna was ‘very democratic’ in his approach.
“We would all love to have a team developing the bike based on our indicators,” he said. “I have to say that Ducati are very democratic in this regard and very open to all riders.
However, it is right that a manufacturer follows the wishes of the fastest rider, the best rider at the time.
Fabio Di Giannantonio wants to ‘finally’ beat Marc Marquez
Marquez won 11 of 18 Grands Prix in Ducati GP25 last year before his injury. Morbidelli will ride a bike this year, while Di Giannantonio will receive the latest equipment.
Despite the difference in details, By Gianantonio and Morbidelli were evenly matched for most of the season, eventually finishing sixth and seventh respectively.
“Having him available, being able to study him is really important,” Di Giantantonio said of Marquez. “We always try to compare the best information we have. Last year, it was Mark, obviously.
“It’s also helped us grow as a team, as riders. Having a good rider at home is always a help. Having a great champion so close motivates me to go ahead of everyone (others) and eventually try to beat him.”
Rossi expects his riders to win the race. If you can’t do it this year in 2025.
