As the lights go out to start the MotoGP season in Thailand on Saturday, the road seems clear for one of the sport's two deposed kings to reclaim their crown – if they do not get in each other's way.
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Marc Marquez, six times champion, has joined double champion Francesco 'Pecco' Bagnaia in the Ducati factory-team pit.
The question is whether that high-octane mix will prove too combustible.
"If you put two roosters in the same pen at 22 or 25 years old, it's bad. It's a bomb. But he's 27 and I'm 32," Marquez told Spanish television, in response to one in a string of chemistry questions he, Bagnaia and Ducati bosses have faced.
Ducati, with eight bikes on the grid, dominated last season. They won 19 of 20 grand prix, and 17 of 20 sprints. Their misses all came in the first six races, when the other Italian marque, Aprilia, was briefly competitive.
Bagnaia, on a Ducati factory bike, won 11 times on a Sunday, but missed a third straight title, by 10 points to Jorge Martin, also on a 2024 Ducati with Pramac, even though the Spaniard won just three main races.
Marquez, healthy again after a long recovery from a crash in 2020, and competitive again on a Ducati with Gresini, won three races and finished third.
EMBRACING FAVOURITES STATUS
Claudio Domenicali, Ducati's CEO, embraces his team's status as overwhelming favourites.
"It is much better to start from a good base than start as an outsider," he said.
Ducati decided, before the end of last season, to promote Marquez rather than Martin.
Martin responded by signing for Aprilia this season.
At the start of February, 13 laps into his first official test, Martin crashed, breaking bones in his right hand and left foot. He plans to race in Thailand after a short convalescence.
Meanwhile, Ducati opted to stick with their 2024 engine. Under MotoGP rules designed to curb spending, they will also have to use it next season.
"The 2024 bike is very difficult to improve," said Davide Tardozzi, Ducati's team coordinator. "We try hard but finally we didn't find what we thought."
Team management has also been facing questions about their social engineering.
"We try to be very close with the people, so friendship personal relation is like in a family," said Domenicali. "We are doing everything possible to set up an environment in which both of them feel welcome, both of them feel appreciated and both of them feel that we appreciate fair competition."
The riders are toeing the red party line.
"The title it has to be in red," said Marquez. "Doesn't matter if it is Pecco red or Marc red."
"Pecco is a gentleman, he never raises his voice or anything. But then, on the track, he is the fighter. If he has to put the bike in, as he has to, he's going to put it in."
'BEAT ALL'
Bagnaia echoed the sentiments.
"My objective is to beat all, and not just team," he said.
"We are quite smart and intelligent to understand how important it is to have a good relationship and atmosphere inside the box and we will do it."
Ducati's dance with Marquez and Martin was part of a particularly vigorous round of MotoGP's annual game of musical saddles.
Financially-troubled KTM promoted rising star Pedro Acosta to the factory team.
Three rookies join the grid. Fermin Aldeguer has taken the place of Marquez at Gresini. Thai rider Somkiat Chantra replaces retired Takaaki Nakagami at Honda. There will still be a Japanese rider on the grid as Moto2 world champion Ai Ogura replaces Miguel Oliveira at US team Trackhouse.
The season is scheduled to extend to a record 22 races with the return of the Czech and Hungarian grand prix.
The struggling Japanese marques Yamaha and Honda, will get help – allowed more engines, tyres and testing - under rules designed to help under pressure teams.
Both were quick in pre-season testing, but not as quick as Marquez who dominated.