A day earlier than Lewis Hamilton’s fanfare at Ferrari, Ducati held a particular occasion on the Italian ski resort Madonna di Campiglio by which it unveiled its newest acquisition Marc Marquez.
There are undoubtable parallels between the six-time MotoGP world champion and the seven-time F1 world champion as they flip to Italian groups within the hope of touchdown their subsequent title.
Whereas Ducati comfortably topped the MotoGP constructors’ standings, Ferrari has not received the equal title in F1 since 2007.
Ducati, spearheaded by technical guru Gigi Dall’Igna, has led the MotoGP improvement race since 2022 and whereas Ferrari appeared to carry an edge over its competitors at the beginning of the present F1 guidelines period in 2022, it has been overhauled by Pink Bull and McLaren in that interval.
However there are additionally some similarities between the 2 groups, albeit competing in several disciplines.
Watch: Hamilton On Observe At Ferrari!
Blended receptions
For one of the best half, Hamilton’s reception has been constructive, with the fan turnout for his first drive in a Ferrari F1 automobile a testomony to how effectively he has been obtained.
Nonetheless, there has additionally been two figures who’ve been crucial of Ferrari’s resolution to signal the 40-year-old.
Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto mentioned he wouldn’t have signed Hamilton if he was nonetheless in cost, whereas former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was amongst others who had been additionally crucial of the transfer.
In the meantime, Ducati admitted that it too confronted a “divisive” response in Italy to Marquez’s arrival within the workforce. The workforce mentioned that the reception had been blended because it chosen Marquez relatively than Jorge Martin to be Francesco Bagnaia’s team-mate.
Marquez has been a thorn in Ducati’s aspect previously and beforehand seen because the enemy.
From a wider Italian perspective, this exploded in his bitter feud with Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi in 2015 when the latter accused Marquez of attempting to assist fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo (Rossi’s team-mate at Yamaha) within the title combat. The pair got here to blows on observe in Malaysia and peace has by no means been totally restored.
Campioni In Pista with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Crew
Photograph by: Ducati Corse
In more moderen instances, Marquez triumphed in opposition to Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso of their title battles between 2017-19 earlier than Ducati’s period of domination started in 2022, resulting in Marquez to acknowledge he couldn’t beat them with Honda so joined them in 2024 with a transfer to Gresini.
Now he’s modified sides, he may also want to alter some opinions.
Each have some extent to show
Hamilton reduce ties with Mercedes as a result of he felt Ferrari provided him one of the best likelihood of successful an eighth world title, whereas Marquez joined Ducati to trip a aggressive bike.
The British driver proved he nonetheless has the velocity final season together with his two wins in Silverstone and Spa, whereas Marquez had a powerful season with Gresini with three victories coming in Aragon, Misano and Phillip Island – the primary of these ending a 1,000-day wait for an additional MotoGP win having overcome career-threatening accidents.
Make no mistake, each Hamilton and Marquez are able to including to the title depend this season and are desperate to show their respective doubters flawed.
Administration is essential
That is the primary time since 2014 the place Ferrari have two clear primary drivers. Again then it was a short-lived one-season partnership of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
Collectively they delivered an underwhelming return of factors as Ferrari completed the season in fourth place within the championship. The caveat being that this was the opening season for the hybrid period and dominated by Mercedes and Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Crew, Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari
Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
How Charles Leclerc accepts Hamilton coming into the workforce will likely be key. Ferrari has been moulded across the Monegasque and Hamilton is the outsider.
Nonetheless, judging by the response to his debut runs, he stands an opportunity of eclipsing Leclerc by way of profile, one thing that would have an effect on the workforce’s inner politics.
The identical may be mentioned of Ducati too. Having Bagnaia, a two-time MotoGP world champion, and his nearest rival in the identical workforce goes to take some managing.
Bagnaia and Marquez have earlier historical past too. They clashed in Portugal final yr and there may be each chance they’ll conflict once more as they battle for wins.
That is new territory for Ducati, which might want to discover a method of maintaining the peace and make sure the racing stays honest.
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For the meantime, each Ferrari and Ducati are basking within the publicity and constructive wave of promotion.
Nonetheless, as soon as the season begins, the complexion is prone to change and the way they handle their respective racers will likely be essential.
On this article
Ben Hunt
Formulation 1
MotoGP
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