between his two factory-team
"colleagues" might cause them
to knock each other off or blow
each other up repeatedly? It
wouldn't be the first time.
While everyone expected
Marc to get a factory bike next
year, they also expected that the
second factory seat would go
to Jorge Martin and Marc would
get a GP25 in the Gresini team,
cozy there with his younger
brother.
Until the day after the Italian
GP, when current points leader
Jorge was revealed to be taking
Aleix Espargaro's place on the
ever-improving Aprilia, currently
neck and neck with KTM in
taking the fight to the dominant
Bologna brand.
There was still another candi
-
date, incumbent Enea Bastianini,
ever-unlucky and consequently
often underrated. He was Ba-
gnaia's stated favorite. Which
might have been the kiss of
death, as far as Dall'Igna was
concerned.
Why would anyone want their
lead rider to be comfortable
when he could be edgy? A rac
-
ing team is a fighting force, not
a bed of roses.
This is clearly Dall'Igna's think-
ing, and as a serial 250-class and
Superbike winner with Aprilia
before he rescued Ducati, it is
not a frivolous thought.
But risky.
How should the double cham
-
pion feel about his new team-
R
ivalry at its peak is always
"bitter." Like that stuff put
on kids' fingernails to stop
them from chewing.
But who will be the biggest
nail-biter at Ducati in 2025?
Marc Marquez, turning 32
next year, is a senior citizen in a
class where precocious 20-year-
old stripling Pedro Acosta will
add a full season of experience
to his threat?
Pecco Bagnaia, for whom
the mantra about first having
to beat your teammate has
just taken on a razor's edge?
Said teammate is an eight-time
champion widely regarded as a
timeless racing genius.
Or will it be boss Gigi
Dall'Igna, fearing that the rivalry
P142
CN II IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
PUTTING THE
SPICE IN MOTOGP
MINESTRONE
