A day earlier than Lewis Hamilton’s fanfare at Ferrari, Ducati held a particular occasion on the Italian ski resort Madonna di Campiglio during 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 growth race since 2022 and whereas Ferrari appeared to carry an edge over its competitors at first of the present F1 guidelines period in 2022, it has been overhauled by Crimson Bull and McLaren in that interval.
However there are additionally some similarities between the 2 groups, albeit competing in numerous disciplines.
Watch: Hamilton On Observe At Ferrari!
Blended receptions
For the very best half, Hamilton’s reception has been constructive, with the fan turnout for his first drive in a Ferrari F1 automotive a testomony to how properly he has been acquired.
Nonetheless, there has additionally been two figures who’ve been important of Ferrari’s choice to signal the 40-year-old.
Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto stated he wouldn’t have signed Hamilton if he was nonetheless in cost, whereas former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was amongst others who have been additionally important 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 stated that the reception had been combined because it chosen Marquez moderately than Jorge Martin to be Francesco Bagnaia’s team-mate.
Marquez has been a thorn in Ducati’s facet prior to now 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 making an attempt to help fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo (Rossi’s team-mate at Yamaha) within the title combat. The pair got here to blows on monitor in Malaysia and peace has by no means been absolutely restored.
Campioni In Pista with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Crew
Photograph by: Ducati Corse
In newer occasions, 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 a degree to show
Hamilton minimize ties with Mercedes as a result of he felt Ferrari provided him the very best probability of successful an eighth world title, whereas Marquez joined Ducati to trip a aggressive bike.
The British driver proved he nonetheless has the pace final season along with his two wins in Silverstone and Spa, whereas Marquez had a robust season with Gresini with three victories coming in Aragon, Misano and Phillip Island – the primary of these ending a 1,000-day wait for one more 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 improper.
Administration is vital
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 Pictures
How Charles Leclerc accepts Hamilton coming into the workforce might 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 might have an effect on the workforce’s inside politics.
The identical will be stated 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’s each chance they are going to conflict once more as they battle for wins.
That is new territory for Ducati, which might want to discover a method of protecting the peace and make sure the racing stays truthful.
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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 more likely to change and the way they handle their respective racers might be essential.
On this article
Ben Hunt
Components 1
MotoGP
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