As the 2025 season slowly approaches, Valentino Rossi has already shared his prediction on the season ahead. The spotlight is firmly set on the Ducati factory team, where Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez are set to battle it out for supremacy.

Marquez made a bold move to join Ducati after a challenging season with Honda. However, his arrival puts him alongside Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 champion, who is eager to reclaim his title after last season. Despite securing 11 Grand Prix wins, Bagnaia fell short on points due to non-scores, allowing Jorge Martin to take the championship by just 10 points.

At Rossi's 100Km of Champions event, he told Sky Sports Italy: “The Ducati factory team riders are the main candidates for the title. Bagnaia is very excited because he wants to redeem himself from last year’s defeat. So, we hope he can give that extra 5%.”

The Stakes Are High

The addition of Marquez to the Ducati garage intensifies the competition. Known for his aggressive and fearless style, Marquez has the potential to thrive on a bike that has dominated MotoGP in recent years. For Bagnaia, the challenge is clear: outperform one of the greatest riders in the modern era while defending his status as Ducati’s top rider.

Rossi’s Continued Influence

While Rossi has transitioned to car racing, he remains a significant presence in MotoGP. In 2024, he competed in the World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe with the BMW-backed WRT team. However, he plans to scale back his racing schedule to attend more MotoGP events.

With Marquez and Bagnaia headlining the Ducati lineup, the 2025 MotoGP season is shaping up to be a thrilling spectacle.