As the 2025 MotoGP season approaches, TNT Sports MotoGP presenter Neil Hodgson has shared his thoughts on Ducati’s powerhouse lineup of Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, widely tipped as title favorites.
Ducati has assembled what they call a ‘Dream Team’ to dominate the championship, and Hodgson believes the title race could be a two-horse battle between Marquez and Bagnaia. “It’s still early with only two tests so far, but if I had to answer honestly, I’d say it’s between Marc and Pecco,” Hodgson told BSN.
One of the biggest talking points from pre-season testing was Ducati’s decision to abandon its 2025 engine in favor of the GP24 model. Despite small improvements from Yamaha, Honda, and Aprilia, Hodgson still sees Ducati as the team to beat. “They had a 0.4-second advantage going into testing, which might have only dropped to 0.3. Rather than risk uncertainty with the GP25, they’re sticking with the proven GP24.”
While Ducati’s dominance is expected, the internal rivalry between Marquez and Bagnaia could create fireworks. Comparing their dynamic to past teammate rivalries like Rossi and Lorenzo, Hodgson predicts “spicy” on-track battles but doesn’t believe they’ll need to be physically separated in the garage.
“They’re both smart and will work hard to establish themselves as number one,” Hodgson said. “Marquez is a master manipulator off-track, while Bagnaia knows he can’t give an inch. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them both crash out together at some point—it just adds drama to a long championship.”
