Former Moto2 champion Stefan Bradl believes Marc Marquez’s MotoGP dominance at Ducati makes Francesco Bagnaia the “clear number two” rider.
The former MotoGP rider, who raced alongside Marquez early in their careers, believes the Spaniard has returned to his best form.
Bradl, alongside Jorge Lorenzo, is one of the two riders who managed to stop Marquez from winning the championship title from 2010 to 2019, with Bradl claiming the Moto2 title in 2011.
The six-time MotoGP champion’s switch to the factory Ducati has seen two pole positions, two Sprint race wins and two Sunday wins.
“I expected Marc [Marquez] to be at Pecco’s [Bagnaia] level right from the start,” Bradl admitted to GPOne.
“The fact that he outclassed him so clearly was a bit of a surprise. Alex’s [Marquez] strength was already apparent during the winter tests, where Marc initially risked 90% and then showed off in the Grand Prix. That was clear to me.
“I was in Thailand as a TV commentator for ServusTV, and I think Pecco’s confidence was already damaged after the Sprint on Saturday.
“In Buriram, I felt that special aura for the first time in a while. An invincible aura that Marc had for years in Honda and that can now also be felt throughout the Ducati garage.
“With the media and fans, he has that certain something again. Pecco is already clearly number two.”
Stefan Bradl compares Gigi Dall’Igna and Marc Marquez to historic F1 partnership
The former Honda test rider praised Gigi Dall’Igna for his role in delivering one of the most dominant MotoGP bikes in the sport’s history.
The German stated that Dall’Igna and Marquez’s working relationship allows them to play to each other’s strengths.
He likened this partnership to one of Formula 1’s most dominant success stories, comparing it to the relationship between Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn or Jean Todt.
“Gigi Dall’Igna did a lot of things right at Ducati,” Bradl began.
“Last year, with the GP24, he once again brought a much-improved version of the GP23 onto the track. This bike has provided a significant technical boost.
“Marc said last year that he could’ve really given Pecco and Jorge Martin a run for their money if he had a 2024 factory bike. He figured that out pretty quickly.
“Now, in the factory team, all doors are open to him. I do believe that Gigi is a fan of Marc’s and that the crew chief and the rider speak a common language.
“They’re a brilliant duo that has taken themselves to the next level through this close collaboration. It’s a combination, like the one that used to exist at Ferrari between Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn or Jean Todt.”
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