Marquez is ready to ride both the Ducati GP25 and GP24 bike in the Barcelona test

Marc Marquez is set to ride Ducati’s current GP24 as well as a GP25 prototype in next week’s Barcelona MotoGP test, according to the brand’s test rider Michele Pirro.

Marquez will get his first opportunity to work with the factory Ducati team in the official pre-season test on November 19, having signed a two-year deal with squad partner Francesco Bagnaia back in June.

Typically, teams take advantage of the November test to give their riders a chance to try out their newest machines for the following year. However, as Marquez never got to ride his current GP24 machine, having raced the 2023-based GP23 with some upgrades at Gresini this year, Ducati is allowing the Spaniard to ride two different bikes in Barcelona.

This should, in theory, ease his two-stage transition from GP23 to GP25, while also helping him understand why the 2024-spec Desmosedici has been so dominant in MotoGP.

“He also has the GP24, he wants to try them both,” Pirro revealed in an interview with GPOne. “I expect him to go ahead and say, ‘ok, everything’s a little bit better’. Not that he’s going to go half a second or eight-tenths faster. I’m not expecting a revolution or anything special.”

Ducati outclassed the competition in MotoGP this year, taking the title with six rounds to spare in September.

Much of its success is due to the GP24, which many say represents a massive leap in performance from the already fast 2023 Desmosedici.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

GP24 riders have won 15 of the 19 rounds so far this year, while three of the top four riders in the championship ride the current spec bike.

However, Pirro does not believe Ducati will make another big leap with the GP25, which remains in development, stressing that only incremental updates are possible year-on-year.

“You will struggle to see and notice the development,” said the Italian, who tested the new bike in Jerez a fortnight ago.

“But like every year we try to improve and I believe that the 2025 bike is also a further step forward. And the latest tests have confirmed that.

“There are no revolutions, but small improvements, which must also be confirmed on the other tracks.

He added: “The idea is always the same (to find improvement over the GP24) because that would mean we’ve found something.

“But it is not easy, and it would already be positive to take a step forward like the one between GP22 and GP23, which means that we can always be competitive.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Dorna

“I think what makes the difference is being competitive in all 20 races and not just in some. This year GP24 has shown that it is competitive in all phases – something that maybe didn’t happen between GP22 and GP23 .

“It is not a given, and it is not easy to find half a tenth to improve a bike that is really good. But we’re working on it and we can’t wait for Pecco and Marc to try it. I’m curious to try it also on a track where grip is usually low, like Barcelona.”

Pirro explained that the GP25 is built to suit Bagnaia’s driving style, but changes made to improve braking performance will also favor his new teammate Marquez.

“The real term, when the new aerodynamics comes, in my opinion it will be more angry. It is even more racing because we have corrected some things for Pecco. So it could have characteristics that go towards (hard) brakes like Bagnaia and Marquez”.

Pirro will be back in action in the Barcelona test, replacing the injured Fabio di Giannantonio at VR46.

Di Giannantonio, Marquez and Bagnaia will be the only riders riding GP25 next year as Ducati scales back its commitment to three factory bikes from four in 2024.