It’s official: 2025 will mark a new chapter in Marc Marquez’s career as he joins the Ducati Lenovo Team, alongside Francesco Bagnaia. After years of dominance with Repsol Honda, Marquez got a fresh start in 2024 with Gresini Racing, which reinvigorated his career and saw him secure three wins aboard the GP23. Now, Marquez will join the Ducati factory team and follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest MotoGP riders, each of whom has shaped the brand’s rich history.

Casey Stoner

Casey Stoner’s arrival at Ducati in 2007 marked the beginning of a golden era for the Italian brand. The Australian had an explosive start to his MotoGP career with LCR Honda, but it was on the Ducati GP7 that he truly made his mark. Stoner’s first season with the team was nothing short of spectacular, winning 10 races and securing 14 podiums in just 18 races, taking the 2007 World Championship. His dominant performance made him the first rider to win the premier class title on a non-Japanese bike since Phil Read in 1974, a historic achievement that would forever cement Stoner’s place in Ducati lore.

However, despite coming close in 2008, where he finished as the runner-up to Valentino Rossi, Stoner and Ducati were unable to secure a second title. Health issues and the increasingly problematic Desmosedici made consistency challenging, but Stoner’s commitment to Ducati saw him rack up 23 wins before his switch to Honda in 2011. Stoner’s time with Ducati was marked by brilliance, but also a sense of unfinished business.

Valentino Rossi

Ducati’s disappointment in losing Stoner was tempered somewhat by the arrival of another legend. In 2011, Rossi, who had won seven titles with Yamaha, switched to Ducati in search of a new challenge. The idea of Rossi on Ducati was nothing short of thrilling for fans, but the reality was less glamorous.

Rossi’s time with Ducati was plagued by struggles to tame the Desmosedici, a machine that never quite suited his riding style. Despite the hype, the results were far from what was expected. A single podium in 2011 and a seventh-place finish in the championship made it clear that Rossi and Ducati were not the dream pairing many had hoped for. Although there were moments of hope, including two second-place finishes in 2012, Rossi’s stint at Ducati ultimately saw him return to Yamaha in 2013. Despite only claiming three podiums and no wins, Rossi’s time with Ducati remains a fascinating chapter in his career.

Jorge Lorenzo

In 2017, Jorge Lorenzo followed in Rossi’s footsteps by leaving Yamaha for Ducati, bringing with him a wealth of experience and five World Championships. Initially, his transition to the Desmosedici was even more challenging than expected. In his debut season, Lorenzo struggled to adapt to the bike, securing just three podiums.

The beginning of 2018 was equally rocky, with Lorenzo picking up only five points from the first four races. Ducati, perhaps prematurely, decided to part ways with him at the end of the year. But as time went on, Lorenzo found his rhythm. Once he clicked with the increasingly competitive Desmosedici, he took back-to-back wins in Mugello and Barcelona. His third win of the season came in Austria, showing what might have been if injuries hadn’t plagued his final year with Ducati.

Marc Marquez

And now, in 2025, Marc Marquez’s story is yet to be fully written. Having already tested the Ducati GP23 at the Barcelona Test, the signs are promising. Marquez is ready to join forces with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia. Together, they form a dream team—a pairing that has the potential to rival the greatest in the sport’s history.