Ducati sent te🌳xt messages to Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia to check on any lingering🧜 ill-feeling after Portimao.

The first collision of the season between the star Ducati riders took place at the Portuguese MotoGP, when Bagnaia’s overtake attempt put both men into the gr𒊎a꧋vel.

It was deemed a racing inciden💛t although Gresiꦆni's Marquez lay the blame at factory Ducati rider Bagnaia’s door.

It was do🅺wn to Ducati sporting director Mauro Grassilli to🎉 soothe any potential problem.

He was asked at t𒆙he Circuit of the A𓃲mericas how he intervened.

“Very easy,” Grassilli insisted.

“I sent both of them a message. I can’t remember, Monday or ꦗT💞uesday.

“Just ‘hey guys, everything under control?’

“Pecco and Marc answered me, ‘yes, everything under control, looking f🦩orward to COTA’.

“So, positive, very positive.”

The collision in Portimao left Marquez and Bagnaia without a point from the second grand prix of the s🔥eason.

They were battling for P5 at the time.

Those lost points look even worse after the COTA roun𒐪d, when Marquez crashed out from the lead and Bagnaia could only manage fifth𝔉.

Marquez is 44 points behind champ💃ionship leader Jorge Martin after three rounds🌜. Bagnaia is 30 points behind Martin.

The bigger picture for Ducati was the threat of tension between the reign✱ing MotoGP champion and their starꦡ new recruit.

Before signing Marquez last year, Ducati bosses had mentioned the inevitability of his aggressive riding style caus♓ing issues.

Although, the first flashpoint of his Ducati career was caused by Bagnaia’s attempt to pass, it is widely consid♔ered🔯.

Both Marquez and Bagnaia find themselves furthe𒊎r off the top of the MotoGP standings than they might have expected.

MotoGP returns f💯or the fourth r♔ound of 2024 in Jerez on April 28-30.