I had butterflies in my stomach: Marc Marquez about Ducati debut

With his contract with Honda having expired, Marc Marquez has revealed how he felt riding a Ducati for the first time in MotoGP

Marc Marquez has officially joined the Gresini Ducati garage for 2024

Marc Marquez' contract with Honda expired when 2023 came to an end and on New Year's Day, the Spanish rider disclosed to the public how he felt riding a Ducati in MotoGP.

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Not one to shy away from revealing his feelings, the multiple world champion said, "I was nervous, and there were butterflies in my stomach."

"Even though I have been in the championship for many years, it was a big change. But afterwards, I stayed calm, relaxed. I made the day calm, relaxed, trying to understand myself with my new technical team and with my new motorcycle," he added.

"The first was a day of adaptation to the positions. We changed things because on some I don't feel completely comfortable, but the speed was there. I understood the bike and how to manage things. I still have a lot to learn, maybe not to go faster, but to be more consistent and much safer," continued Marquez.

"You jump onto the champion bike and it's in your hands, because there are many riders who go fast on it. I was able to adapt faster than expected because I immediately felt very good. There was a lot of feeling and the time worked out without exaggeratedly looking for it. In the test, at the end of the day we were able to put on new soft tyres and I also felt good." he stated.

"There are things to understand at the level of positions and communication with the team. It is logical because I have been working with the same group for eleven years, but they have received me very well. It is all very pleasant and this helps me be more relaxed," he claimed.

When asked about his Honda, Marquez said, "I don't like to compare motorcycles, especially in public. It's a different bike, with a different riding style."

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Gresini Ducati will officially present its 2024 bike, which will be the machine used by the factory Ducati team in 2023, on January 20. A couple of weeks later, between February 6 and 8, Marquez will once again ride his Ducati at the Sepang pre-season test.

The responses from Marquez were published by a leading Spanish publication.