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The task that awaits Gigi dall'Igna next year is by no means simple. Managing a garage with two riders of the caliber of Bagnaia and Marquez, who are used to being the reference for their team, will require a certain amount of cold blood. In cases like this, the risk of bad moods and skirmishes, which are detrimental to the brand's standings, is always lurking. Neil Hodgson, SBK champion with Ducati in 2003, knows this well and, during an interview with TNT (for which he now comments on the races), he pointed out that fielding two prima donnas has its pros and cons.
"Given how much they spent on Martin, it seemed a foregone conclusion that he'd be promoted to the factory team. But, to be able to count on an eight-time world champion, a phenomenon like Marc is a unique opportunity. The Spanish rider has never been beaten by a teammate, although he has had some valid ones like Pedrosa and Lorenzo. He has destroyed everyone," the Briton stated.
"He's very confident and doesn't care who's next to him. He just wants to have the same material at his disposal. Sparks are going to fly. It's going to be great to see. Like what happened in the past, they could damage each other and favor others in the fight for the title," he concluded, predicting a compelling show.
Even for Sylvain Guintoli, SBK winner in 2014, and like his colleague now in the role of commentator for TNT, the job of Borgo Panigale's management won't be a walk in the park.
"It's going to be tough for the brand's top management. They'll have to be able to manage the situation well. In a top team, you want a rider of equal level, not one who causes problems. Having two strong characters on and off the track can become explosive. Understanding the dynamics is going to be interesting. Ducati has made many sacrifices to bring the Catalan rider to the factory team. That said, I imagine they'll take risks to beat each other," he reflected, convinced that the head-to-head will be quite harsh, with all the consequences it's going to incur.
