Enea Bastianini’s title challenge - “we can do it again with Alex Marquez”

Bastianini ultimately finished third in the 2022 MotoGP standings, while winning the second-most amount of races.

His promotion from Gresini to the factory Ducati team alongside champion Francesco Bagnaia caused a shakeup in the 2023 MotoGP rider line-up which has seen him replaced by Marquez, alongside Fabio di Giannantonio.

"The 2022 season has been exciting for us with Enea,” said Poggiali, who was leading a MotoGP team for the first time, to La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

“I think we have written a beautiful page in racing history. Now there are more to write. 

“Our path and that of Enea’s will never be the same, but love will never be lacking because seasons like this leave a particular mark. I wish the best to Enea: he deserves it. 

“As for us, what we managed to do with him we can certainly do again with Di Giannantonio and Marquez.

"Both Marquez and Di Giannontonio are not coming from am exciting season.

“It will be important above all to create a relationship of total trust with the team and work on points that can be improved. 

“We already know something about Fabio, since he raced with us in 2022, while with Alex we started a new path, but the premises already seem excellent to me.”

Marquez is leaving behind Honda where he was a part of a horrible year, during which the team scored zero points in a MotoGP race for the first time in 40 years.

He will profit now from using the GP22 Desmosedici, the same machinery that powered Bagnaia to his maiden championship last year.

Bagnaia and Bastianini, and the Pramac Racing duo Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco, will have updated spec but, nevertheless, the feeling is that Marquez will finally have a top-notch bike to display his talent.

And with his brother Marc Marquez riding a Repsol Honda bike which let him down in 2022, albeit as a brilliant six-time premier class champion, Alex could have his best chance yet to enjoy a better season than his sibling.