Fabio Quartararo is confident about Marc Márquez’s potential to shine on the Desmosedici from the Gresini team. He even considers the possibility of Marquez clinching the title.
After securing a podium finish in Indonesia, Quartararo expressed his surprise, given the challenges he faced with his Yamaha YZR-M1. Despite starting strong and maintaining a steady pace, he felt the familiar frustration of not being able to overtake, especially when trailing Maverick Viñales.
Quartararo’s hope for 2024 is to have a more competitive bike, allowing him to overtake without excessive risks. Meanwhile, Marquez will have that advantage, as he’ll be riding the Ducati Desmosedici GP23 for the Gresini Racing team.
In an interview with AS, Quartararo shared his thoughts on Marquez’s decision to leave Honda, stating: ‘I completely understand it. I believe he will pose many challenges for all of us next year; it will be a nightmare on the Ducati’.
When asked if he felt envious of Marquez, Quartararo admitted: ‘From a technical standpoint, of course, because we know that bike. There are eight Ducatis, and they’re always leading. Technically, it will be intriguing to see him on that bike, as well as [Franco] Morbidelli’.
Many wonder what Marquez can achieve with a satellite team. Quartararo believes he can become a world champion, as Jorge Martín is now demonstrating: ‘Currently, being in an official team isn’t that crucial. If you have a factory bike and Ducati provides riders with information freedom, that’s what’s beautiful’.
It’s worth to mention that Martín, who’s competing for the title with the Pramac team this year, rides a current-spec Desmosedici GP23 and has significant support from Ducati. In contrast, Márquez will ride this year’s bike in 2024, and Gresini Racing doesn’t have the same level of collaboration with Ducati. Nonetheless, Márquez’s package should be competitive, and it will be interesting to see if he can aim for the world championship crown.