Marc Márquez se une al equipo Ducati que una vez intentó debilitar: cómo su jugada maquiavélica envió a Jorge Lorenzo a Honda

   Marc Marquez’s masterstroke: how he sabotaged Ducati by convincing Honda to sign Jorge Lorenzo

Marc Marquez, a seven-time MotoGP champion known for his cunning both on and off the track, recently revealed a bold strategy he orchestrated to undermine Ducati. In the Ducati documentary titled “La Vida en Rojo” (Life in Red), Marquez admitted that he encouraged Honda to sign Jorge Lorenzo, in a move designed to neutralise the Italian manufacturer’s growing competitiveness.

      Marquez’s strategy against Ducati

In 2017, Ducati was experiencing a resurgence, thanks in part to the arrival of Lorenzo after a successful career with Yamaha. Although Lorenzo struggled in his first season with Ducati, achieving just three podiums, Marquez recognised his potential to become a formidable rival.

“Lorenzo is Lorenzo,” Marquez told Honda. “He is a five-time world champion. If Ducati figures out how to unlock his potential, another rider from another brand will overtake you. The best strategy is to bring him to Honda.”

This advice came as Ducati was rebuilding its competitiveness, and Lorenzo was beginning to find his rhythm. In 2018, Lorenzo showed his talent with wins in Italy, Barcelona and Austria, before an injury in Aragon halted his momentum. However, by the end of the season, Honda had signed Lorenzo for 2019, following Marquez’s recommendation.

      A bet that went wrong

Although the decision to sign Lorenzo seemed shrewd at first, it soon fell apart. Honda’s RC213V, a bike specifically designed for Marquez’s aggressive style, proved to be a real challenge for Lorenzo. He struggled to adapt, and two serious crashes at Barcelona and Assen led to a back injury that ultimately led to his retirement at the end of the season.

For Honda, the plan to neutralise Ducati’s growing strength with Lorenzo as a counterweight did not yield the expected results. Ducati continued its rise, and Lorenzo’s departure from the team was only a temporary obstacle on the road to domination for the Italian manufacturer.

    Full circle: Marquez joins Ducati

Ironically, after years of struggling with a declining Honda, Marquez joined Gresini Ducati in 2024. The move immediately paid off, as he took three wins and reminded the paddock of his immense talent when paired with a competitive machine. For the 2025 season, Marquez will be part of the official Ducati team, becoming a key part of the brand he once sought to destabilise.

     The legacy of a tactical genius

Marquez’s move to push Honda to sign Lorenzo highlights the complex strategic dynamics in MotoGP. The concept of “strategic co-optation” – bringing in a rival to undermine his former team – is not new, but its execution requires precision.

For Marquez, this move temporarily preserved Honda’s dominance, but it could not halt the manufacturer’s eventual decline. For Ducati, Lorenzo’s departure was a setback, but the team emerged stronger, leading the field in the current era. Now, as Marquez dons the iconic red of Ducati, the story comes full circle, demonstrating how shifting alliances and masterstrokes shape the sport’s ever-evolving narrative.

In the end, Marquez’s shrewd strategy not only delayed Ducati’s rise, but also laid the groundwork for his own path to the top, this time with the team he once feared.