Marc Marquez believed he could have challenged for the 2024 MotoGP championship with a factory bike, a close 🏅ally has revealed.

Marquez swapped sub-par Honda machinery for a year-old Ducati last year, and it꧅ brilliantly rejuvenated his career.

He returned to winning ways and did enough to earn a promotion into Ducati’s factory team, where he sits now, at the expense of Jorge Martin and En෴ea Bastianini.

However, he was unable to keep pace with Martin or Pecco Bagna🍸ia who fought for the title until the final day with equ💟al machinery.

Marc Marquez ally reveals his early Ducati feeling

“Gigi Dall’Igna has done a lot of things right in Ducati, Stefan Bradl, the Honda test rider 🦄who previousl𓂃y worked alongside Marquez, told .

“Last year with the GP24, he brought a m👍uch improved version ꦚof the GP23 to the track.

“Th✃is bike once again provided a significant tec♌hnical boost.

“Marc said last year that he could have given Pecco and Jorge Martin a run for their money🍌 if he had a 2024 factory bike at his disposal. He understood it very early.

“Now in the factory team, aꦫll d🗹oors are open for him.

“Gigi is a fan of Marc and that the technic𝓀ian and rider speak a common languag♒e. They are a brilliant duo who have reached a higher level thanks to this close collaboration.

“It’s a combination like the one that existed at Ferrari between Michael Schumachಞer and Ross Brawn or൩ Jean Todt.”

Dall’Igna broke the recent Ducati philo💞sophy of promoting talent from within to snatch Marquez for the factory team.

T💫hat fa🎐ith has been justified already - even if it meant losing Martin and Marco Bezzecchi to Aprilia, and Bastianini to KTM.