Marc Marquez has described learning from Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia as “a pleasure”, labelling the 2023 MotoGP champion as the marque’s “reference” rider.
The opening stages of the 2024 season have seen Marquez and Bagnaia battle it out on multiple occasions, the most recent for the lead in the Spanish Grand Prix.
The race at Jerez saw Bagnaia conquer in a close-fought race which saw 0.372s separate the pair at the end, as Marquez earned his first podium with Gresini Ducati.
Earlier this season in Portimao the duo went toe-to-toe but were involved in a controversial collision, which saw both riders unable to accumulate any points as a result.
Marquez said post-race to Autosport at Jerez: “For me, as I said in Portimao to him, it’s a pleasure to fight against the World Champion and the reference in the Ducati group.
“[In the Spanish GP], one more time, I was on his level and I was fighting against him.
“I had the speed enough to try to overtake. So, for me already, it’s a pleasure to learn from him.
“Still, he has some stronger points than me, but let’s see if in the future I can be a little bit better and closer to him.”
The Spaniard currently lies 32 points adrift of MotoGP championship leader Jorge Martin, but he states that “it’s too early” to think about gunning for a title bid.
“For me, it’s too early. It’s not like ‘No, I don’t want the championship’.
“But it’s too early to think about the championship because I know, and I already understand, that there will be race tracks where I will struggle a lot. But let’s see.
“Still, at the moment we need to keep going, with this bike I feel some of my strong points of my riding style are a little bit weaker, but one of the weak points is a little bit stronger.”
