“I asked Marc Marquez how the Ducati can improve - but the page is blank”

Marquez shone at the postseason Valencia MotoGP test on his Ducati debut ahead of swapping Honda for Gresini in 2024.

And he offered no words of criticism to Michele Pirro, Ducati’s test rider.

Pirro told DAZN: "The positive thing is that Marc Marquez confirmed with his times that the Ducati is a versatile motorcycle and that we also received positive feelings from a rider as important as him. 

“One thing we told ourselves was the fact that in 2016 he could not come to Ducati because it cost too much, whereas now he has chosen a Ducati to win again and that is a positive aspect.

"He didn't talk much, but what was seen, like his face or the fact that he did about 50 laps without taking big risks, I think are the best answers. 

“As a Ducati rider and as a tester, who must pass on information and feelings to the technicians, clearly, I made a point of asking him what were the things that could be improved...

“And, for the moment, the page remained quite blank…

"There is satisfaction about that because when I arrived at Ducati we were the ones who had to copy the Japanese, while now the situation is the opposite. 

“We have eight riders who deserve respect and it is difficult to think that they will achieve less than 85 percent of the points. 

"Marc Marquez is someone you can learn from. Although he can also learn things from Pecco Bagnaia or Jorge Martin. 

“I think we have an exaggerated group of riders. We already saw this year that Ducati wins with different riders and bikes.

"If you think that Fabio Di Giannantonio won at the end of the year with a bike without updates, you can understand that the difference with the 2024 bike will not be disproportionate. 

“What will make the difference will be the sensations and the 'feeling' of each rider. 

“Marc Marquez, as Di Giannantonio will be among the protagonists.”

Marquez joins his brother Alex Marquez at Gresini, while Di Giannantonio replaces Luca Marini at VR46 alongside Marco Bezzecchi.

Franco Morbidelli also joins the Ducati ranks at Pramac, instead of Johann Zarco.