On the eve of Lewis Hamilton’s grand arrival at Ferrari, Ducati organized a special event in the Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio, where it unveiled its latest recruit: Marc M\u00e1rquez.<\/p>\n
There are undeniable parallels between the six-time MotoGP world champion and the seven-time F1 world champion as they join Italian teams in hopes of securing a new title. While Ducati has comfortably dominated the constructor standings in MotoGP, Ferrari hasn’t won the equivalent in F1 since 2007.<\/p>\n
Ducati, driven by the technical genius Gigi Dall’Igna, has led the race for development in MotoGP since 2022. Ferrari, on the other hand, seemed to have an advantage at the beginning of the new regulatory era in F1 in 2022, but has since been surpassed by Red Bull and McLaren.<\/p>\n
Overall, the arrival of Lewis Hamilton was well received, as evidenced by the turnout during his first drive at the wheel of a Ferrari. However, two notable figures criticized Ferrari’s decision to recruit the 40-year-old driver.<\/p>\n
The former Ferrari boss, Mattia Binotto, stated that he would not have signed him if he were still in the position, while former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher also expressed reservations.<\/p>\n
For its part, Ducati acknowledged that the arrival of Marc M\u00e1rquez had sparked mixed reactions in Italy. The team preferred the Spaniard over Jorge Martin to be Francesco Bagnaia’s teammate, a choice that is divisive.<\/p>\n
Marc M\u00e1rquez, once perceived as a fierce rival of Ducati, notably fueled an intense controversy in Italy after his conflict with Valentino Rossi, in 2015. Their confrontation on the track in Malaysia marked a turning point, and the tensions have never completely subsided.<\/p>\n
Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes because he felt that Ferrari offered him the best opportunity to clinch an eighth world title. Meanwhile, Marc M\u00e1rquez joined Ducati to ride a more competitive motorcycle.<\/p>\n
The Briton proved he was still at the top with his victories at Silverstone and Spa last season, while Marc M\u00e1rquez shone with Gresini by winning three races at Arag\u00f3n, Misano, and Phillip Island \u2014 ending a wait of 1,000 days after injuries<\/b> that could have ended his career.<\/p>\n
Both still have the potential to expand their record and are determined to silence the skeptics.<\/p>\n
This is the first time since 2014 that Ferrari has lined up two top drivers. At the time, the partnership between Fernando Alonso and Kimi R\u00e4ikk\u00f6nen only lasted one season, with Ferrari finishing only fourth in the championship, in a hybrid era largely dominated by Mercedes.<\/p>\n