A caution has been directed at Marc Marquez, suggesting that his noteworthy debut with Ducati occurred against a collective of unenthusiastic and disinterested riders.
During the highly promising post-season test in Valencia, Marquez clinched the fourth-fastest time, marking his inaugural ride on a Ducati. His smiling return to the Gresini box was interpreted as a sign of his contentment with the new machine, fueling expectations for enhanced competitiveness in the upcoming year.
Fonsi Nieto expressed absolute confidence in Marquez’s comeback, stating to Relevo, “One hundred percent sure, one hundred percent sure.”
“They asked me in Valencia after testing ‘have you been surprised by what Marc Marquez has done?’
“No. He did exactly what I expected.
“I’ll also tell you something else: Marc gave the one hundred percent he had in that testing session, after everything that has happened and with the accumulated anger.
“And I can tell you that many of the others were looking at the clock and asking for the time, because after a whole championship, getting back on the bike on a Monday, on practically the same bike…
“They were not motivated to the maximum.
“It’s not that Marquez is going to arrive now and devastate everyone.
“Is he going to be fighting? Completely.
“The fans stop you and say: ‘Marc is going to win next year!’
“Hey, calm down, the others also race and the others also go fast.
“Pecco has two world championships, and there are more riders with world championships.
“Will he be there to win races? Sure. But it’s not ‘Marquez arrives and wins tomorrow’.”
In addition to adjusting to a year-old version of a new motorcycle, Marquez faces competition from Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, both equipped with GP24s, expected to contend at the forefront once more. Moreover, he must navigate the intricacies of the Ducati team and potential internal challenges.
Could this pose a challenge for him?
“He is a guy with eight world championships who, obviously, imposes himself on the other riders just because of his record,” said Fonsi Nieto, the nephew of the legendary Angel Nieto who now works at Pramac Ducati.
“And because of how he achieved it. He’s not a guy you like to fight with, because he’s a very elusive guy who doesn’t give up.
“But I have talked about it in the box with the team: if we have been fighting for a championship with the best, then we will have to do it also having Marc in the same conditions.
“I think it has to be a motivation, not an obsession.
“In the end, you open a newspaper, they talk about Marc Marquez. Just like when Valentino Rossi was there.
“Well, that makes the riders tense.
“But if you want to be a champion, you have to fight with the best.”
Nieto’s responsibility will involve readying Jorge Martin (along with his new teammate Franco Morbidelli) at Pramac to take on and defeat Marquez.