Since joining Ducati, Marc Marquez hasn't just brought his speed and vast experience. He has also transformed the way the engineers at Borgo Panigale work with their star rider. For Marco Rigamonti, his chief mechanic since 2025, the Spaniard's greatest quality may not lie in his exceptional riding talent, but rather in his ability to analyze a motorcycle with a precision rarely seen in MotoGP. This quality, according to the Italian, makes him the ideal rider to develop a Grand Prix machine.
When Marc Marquez joins the official team Ducati In 2025, he must turn an important page. After more than ten years of collaboration with Santi Hernandez at Honda, then a season with Frankie Carchedi at Gresini, he begins a new chapter alongside Mark Rigamonti, who had arrived at Ducati two years earlier. In less than two seasons, their relationship became one of the pillars of the success of Ducati.
In an interview with Motorsport.com, Rigamonti explains what immediately distinguishes Marquez of most of the pilots he has worked with. « He knows perfectly well what happened on the motorcycleHe understands the situation very well. »
According to him, the Spaniard is able to identify with astonishing precision the exact location on the circuit where a problem occurs, and then immediately link it to telemetry data. He's able to look at the data and say, "The problem is occurring exactly here." This makes it much easier for us to understand and fix what's wrong."For engineers, this precision represents a considerable time saving."
Marc Marquez has a rare quality: the ability to recognize his own mistakes.
Corn (Mais) Rigamonti emphasizes another aspect, which is just as valuable. Marc Marquez He never tries to systematically blame the motorcycle. When the difficulty stems from his riding or physical condition, he immediately acknowledges it. He always says, "I felt that..." But it's possible that it also comes from me." »
This technical honesty prevents the team from going down the wrong development paths. It allows them to distinguish much more quickly what is the driver's responsibility… and what truly belongs to the Desmosedici.
For RigamontiHowever, it is another quality that makes all the difference. As soon as he puts on his helmet, we know he's giving it his all. Always. In every situation.This certainty greatly simplifies the engineers' work. If the target time isn't met, Ducati knows immediately that the problem does not stem from a lack of commitment.
« With Marc, We never ask ourselves if the pilot could have done better.We know that he always exploits 100% of the motorcycle's potential."A statement that perfectly sums up the confidence the team places in its champion."
This approach also explains why Marc Marquez He was often considered the rider who crashed the most during testing. Since his MotoGP debut, the Spaniard has preferred to immediately explore the limits of his machine rather than gradually approaching them.
His goal is simple: to identify the boundary between top speed and loss of control. This spectacular method has earned him countless rescues… but also several, sometimes impressive, crashes. Even this season, he fell during practice at Austin by searching for the limits of its Ducati before the tires have even reached their optimal temperature.
The numerous injuries suffered since 2020 have nevertheless led to changes Marc Marquez. According to RigamontiToday, he is even more lucid about his own physical condition. When certain pains limit his performance, he doesn't try to hide it. "If his problem stemmed from his physical condition, he said it clearly "Today, I'm not piloting properly." »
The chief mechanic recounts that sometimes all it took was observing his driver's face to understand his feelings. At Mugello, for example, he immediately sensed the moment when Marquez had regained positive feelings. His expression spoke for itself. When he's satisfied, it shows immediately. »
Beyond the technical aspects, Rigamonti He also described a man well-liked by the entire team. According to him, Marquez He deliberately maintains a relaxed atmosphere in the box. He knows that a calm group works more effectively. He's an honest person. We always know what he's thinking.He enjoys spending time with us because he knows that a good atmosphere also improves performance."A philosophy that undoubtedly explains why his integration into Ducati was also fast.
The confidences of Mark Rigamonti shed light on an often less visible facet of Marc MarquezThe public remembers his spectacular overtaking maneuvers, his improbable rescues, and his ability to push the limits. But internally, Ducati It particularly highlights the quality of its analysis, its honesty and its absolute commitment.
For a manufacturer, these qualities are almost as valuable as pure speed. A driver who can accurately distinguish between what is due to the machine and what is due to their own driving saves considerable time in development.
This is undoubtedly where the true strength of Marc Marquez He is not content with being one of the fastest riders in MotoGP history. He has become a true technical partner, capable of helping Ducati to make an already formidable machine even more powerful.
