Sawt Falasteen - Marquez eyeing seventh MotoGP crown in Ducati dream team

Six-time world champion Marquez was unveiled by Ducati on Monday as the Italian manufacturer's factory racing team revealed its new Desmosedici GP25 bike.

Bedecked in red, the 31-year-old made no secret of his intention to win more titles after last year's impressive performances for Ducati satellite outfit Gresini.

Marquez finished third behind eventual winner Jorge Martin, now with Aprilia, and two-time champion Bagnaia and won three Grands Prix, his first in three years as an injury nightmare which started with a fractured arm in 2020 was finally put behind him.

"I've fought many battles against Ducati in the past but, after getting my smile back last season, I'm here this year and it's a real privilege," said Marquez who signed a two-season deal with Ducati in June.

"It's great to come to such a big MotoGP team, a team which in the last four or five years in particular has been hugely important. We want to win the riders', constructors' and teams' world titles.

"We need to work together as a team so that if I don't win Pecco (Bagnaia) wins and vice-versa. I think it's going to be a great season and I hope to bring home plenty of points and wins -- let's see where we finish at the end of the season."

Bagnaia's partnership with Marquez is an interesting prospect given his mentor and Italian motorcycling icon Rossi's difficult history with the Spaniard.

The 28-year-old Bagnaia opted to say nothing when Rossi said in a podcast interview in September that Marquez was a "dirty" rider who actively worked to stop him from winning the 2015 title.

Jorge Lorenzo won the world crown by five points that year but his overall victory hinged on Marquez and Rossi colliding in the penultimate Malaysian MotoGP.

Rossi was penalised for that incident and had to start the year's final GP in Valencia in last place, virtually guaranteeing Lorenzo the title before the race was run.

N.Shalabi--SF-PST