Fabio Quartararo is confident in Marc Marquez’s potential to shine on the Gresini team’s Desmosedici. He even considers the possibility of Marquez winning the title. After securing a podium in Indonesia, Quartararo expressed his surprise, given the difficulties he faced with his Yamaha M1. Despite starting strong and maintaining a steady pace, he felt the familiar frustration of not being able to overtake, especially when behind Maverick Viñales.
Quartararo’s hope for 2024 is to have a more competitive bike, allowing him to overtake without excessive risks. In the meantime, Marquez will have that advantage as he will be riding the Ducati Desmosedici GP23 for the Gresini Racing team.
In an interview with AS, Quartararo shared his thoughts on Marquez’s decision to leave Honda, stating: “I completely understand. I believe he will pose many challenges for all of us next year; he will be a nightmare on the Ducati.”
When asked if he felt envy towards Marquez, Quartararo admitted: “From a technical point of view, of course, because we know that bike. There are eight Ducatis, and they are always at the front. Technically, it will be intriguing to see him on that bike, as well as [Franco] Morbidelli.”
Many wonder what Marquez can achieve with a satellite team. Quartararo believes he can become world champion, citing Jorge Martin as an example. “Currently, being in a factory team is not so crucial. If you have a factory bike and Ducati provides freedom of information to the riders, that’s what’s beautiful,” he said.
Quartararo mentioned Jorge Martin, who is competing for the title with the Pramac team in 2023. However, Martin rides a Desmosedici GP23 and receives significant support from Ducati. In contrast, Marquez will ride this year’s bike in 2024, and Gresini Racing does not have the same level of collaboration with Ducati. However, Marquez’s package is competitive, and it will be interesting to see if he can aspire to the world championship crown.
