MotoGP, Forcada: "Marquez has changed on the track: he's no longer the all-or-nothing killer"

When there is only one appointment left before the summer break, the 2025 MotoGP lineup is starting to take more and more shape, which between Mugello and Assen has discovered the future destinations of some of the pilots fulcrum of the market, such as Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin. Movements that the colleagues of Mundo Deportivo analyzed with Ramon Forcada in an interview in which the historic chief technician of Jorge Lorenzo, Maverick Vinales and Franco Morbidelli, gave his point of view on the situation in Ducati and the future cohabitation between Francesco Bagnaia and the eldest of the Marquez brothers.

What triggered the ripple effect that has shaken the market in recent weeks was in fact the Bologna-based manufacturer's decision on the rider to join the reigning World Champion in the next two years. A choice that has resulted in the farewells to Ducati of Martin, Bastianini, Bezzecchi and the Pramac Racing team.

"I don't know if the management of Ducati was the right one, but maybe not the desired one. I know they had other plans. The fact is that those plans were very difficult and they knew it, because there were many things at stake, many egos, and the best bike on the grid," commented Forcada . " Their intention was to keep Pecco with Marc Marquez and with Martin. It was not possible because of Marc's move, who played his cards very well and dictated the times. Ducati adapted to the times Marc dictated."

So many candidates vying for one official rider's seat. The most coveted seat in the entire lineup. But how much does it matter for a rider to wear the colors of a factory team?

"It depends on the rider. Martin, for example, lost focus when he saw that he had a chance to win the title at the end of last year. There are other riders who didn't. Marc Marquez did not come from the best bike, but from the official bike of the biggest factory in the world. And he decided to go to a satellite team with a bike from the previous year, which although it was last year's winner, was a bike that on paper was not up to the task. For some people it is important, for ego reasons, to say they are an official rider, while others want to win by any means," the Spaniard noted.

"Obviously in an official team you feel more technically supported, because there are two teams in the same team: there are the engineers who work for you and those who collect data to create a new bike, " he added, " In an official team the rider is surrounded by eight engineers, while in a satellite team there are four engineers working for him. There is another thing to take into consideration, which is that MotoGP has changed a lot in terms of salaries. Contracts of ten, twelve, fifteen million euros no longer exist. Logically in a factory team you are treated better, but there is no longer a difference between the two."

Still talking about discrepancies, Forcada commented on the way the Cervera rider has changed compared to the past.

"I think we are seeing a different Marc on the track. Outside he is still the same. He knows his cards. He has always had more aces than the others and he has played them very well. What I see is that Marc is maybe a little bit different because of his age, the injuries he has had, the adaptation to the bike, the difference in his way of riding. He is no longer the all-or-nothing killer ," he noted, " He is controlling what is necessary. We don't know if he is going to win the World Championship, but he is playing it without winning races. For me this is a novelty in the way he approaches racing. Another aspect for me is the generation. We have seen periods with very good drivers, but there were one, two, three. Now there are five."

Going right into the title fight, Ramon envisions a long battle between Bagnaia, Martin, Marquez and others.

"Let's not forget Bastianini. He is an irregular rider, but if he can put together three or four really good races he can stay in the fight - he stressed - For me it will go on until the end. And even if there will be riders who will change brands, and teams, the manufacturers will continue to push to win the World Championship. I can't imagine that Ducati will stand in the way of Martin's career, much less Marquez's."

So many balances will change next year, in which Bagnaia will find himself sharing the box with a rider as cumbersome as the eight-time World Champion.

"Pecco's advantage is that it's his bike, this Ducati was made by him. Marquez will have to adapt and he will.That can be negative, because Bagnaia can think, 'gee, he beat me with my bike,' " Forcada analyzed. " The first enemy is the teammate. If your teammate is weak, no one puts pressure on you because the other one is engaged in another fight. On the other hand, when he has the same bike as you and you are fighting to win, not to be the first rider of the brand, that puts a lot of pressure. This Ducati will appreciate it and will have to handle it. And of course there will come difficult moments or pressure for both of us."

For the former MotoGP technician, now in MotoE, in fact, Pecco will not be the only one with his fair share of pressure to handle: "Marquez, too, of course. He has proven in the last few years that he is the king of MotoGP, and he got into this mess to prove that he can beat the riders who are already on Ducati with their bikes. If Ducati changes the Desmosedici to bring it closer to Marquez's style? The factory doesn't care if Pecco or Marc wins. The engineers have built a bike that everyone wants, that wins races and works well for all riders and on all circuits, and they will not change it to favor one rider."

Automatic Translation by DeepL