Marc Marquez believes it would be impossible for him to replicate the success he enjoyed during his peak years at Honda when he joins the factory Ducati team in MotoGP next season.

For the first time since 2019, Marquez will be racing what is expected to be the best bike on the MotoGP grid, as he teams up with two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia at Ducati in 2025.

The Desmosedici has been in a class of its own this year, winning 18 of the 19 grands prix held so far. Only Maverick Vinales’ triumph on an Aprilia in the Americas GP prevented Ducati from completing a clean sweep.

Marquez has adapted well to the Ducati after spending 11 years on the Honda RC213V, winning three grands prix on last year’s GP23 bike and taking the fight to the latest spec bikes of Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini and Pramac’s Jorge Martin.

The Spaniard’s results are particularly impressive considering the other three riders racing the GP23 scored just two podiums between them, with VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio the highest-placed rider among the trio in eighth, five spots behind Marquez.

While he will finally get parity of equipment with Bagnaia next year, Marquez doesn’t think it would mean he will be able to enjoy the same success as he did in 2019, when he won 12 races en route to his sixth premier class title.

“Well, it was a year that I had not found myself in my sporting career and I hope not to find myself again, but it may happen, because it may happen. A year of looking for answers,” he said of 2024.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

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“I had a lot of questions in my head and it was a year of looking for answers. I have been finding them in a positive way because the main question was, am I still competitive enough to be in MotoGP? So that was yes, I’m still competitive.

“Logically it will be impossible to be the dominator like in 2019. Why? Because life happens for all of us who are here, the ones who are coming but we will try to keep that line as flat as possible to keep a high level in MotoGP and to stay competitive.”

Marquez’s impending move to Ducati has raised expectations from him, given how his success in the mid-to-late 2010s put him among the list of all-time greats in motorcycle racing.

But the current Gresini rider isn’t concerned by the weight of expectations on his shoulders, pointing out how fans assumed he will be a genuine title contender in 2024.

“Yes, there were also people who, when I announced that I was going to Gresini, said that I was going to be a winner all year. Then I said no,” he replied.

“And there were people who at Le Mans [and] Montmelo who said I would fight for the title. I said I’d like to say yes.”

Marquez remained in mathematical contention for the title for much of the year, even as Bagnaia and Martin were a step clear of the rest of the pack on their factory-spec GP24s.

The 31-year-old admitted that he himself thought that he had a chance to win the title, but by September it was clear to him that the championship was out of his reach.

“Obviously. I got to thinking because mathematically I had a chance, but then when I arrived at Mugello, Assen, I had the answer and my doubts were cleared and I said ‘I can’t, I can’t make it this year’,” he explained.

“Next year we’ll see, I have to do the pre-season and from there, before Thailand…”

Marquez has previously stated that he is joining Ducati to learn from Bagnaia, who he believes will be the benchmark in the team.

But while playing down his chances for 2025, Marquez knows that he has to target the championship straight away as he returns to a factory team after a year on a satellite bike.

Asked if there will be no excuses at Ducati next year, he said: “No, no, I have the two best bullets in the next two years. I have the bike that has won the past years with the team that has won.

“Well, we will see this year, but at the end, it is the factory team. Then we’ll see, but for me, I don’t have to prove anything.

“For me, it’s about continuing to be competitive in MotoGP and to be fighting for those three positions.

“First, it will be the goal, logically, out of the corner of my eye, we’ll have to look at the title because we are obliged in a factory team to look at the title to see where we are.”

Jenson Button will remain with the British Jota squad in the World Endurance Championship on its graduation to the factory ranks with Cadillac next season.

The 2009 Formula 1 world champion will move over with Jota from Porsche to Cadillac to drive one of two V-Series LMDhs to be fielded by the team in the Hypercar class.

A second full season in the WEC for 44-year-old Button was confirmed on Thursday when the full driver roster was announced for the Cadillac Hertz Team Jota entries.

Will Stevens and Norman Nato have joined Button in switching from Jota’s two-car squad of customer Porsche 963 LMDhs.

Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn will continue with Cadillac at Jota in the WEC after two years racing the General Motors brand’s solo Hypercar entry run by Chip Ganassi Racing

Sebastien Bourdais also makes the move from Ganassi, with which he has been a full-season regular in the IMSA SportsCar Championship since 2022 after calling time on his IndyCar career.

Cadillac Racing driver line up

Photo by: Richard Prince

He is switching series having raced alongside Bamber and Lynn in the Qatar and Bahrain WEC rounds at the beginning and end of this year’s campaign.

It will be the first full-time programme outside of North America for the Frenchman since his season and a half in F1 with Toro Rosso in 2008-09.

Bourdais will not remain with Cadillac in IMSA’s GTP class next year, but will stay in the series after signing a deal with Tower Motorsport to race in the LMP2 division.

Cadillac and Jota have yet to reveal the driver combinations for its two WEC entries, which will retain the #12 and #38 race numbers from the Porsche programme.

Bamber will also be competing for Cadillac in IMSA next year with Action Express Racing, but it is expected that the Jota programme will take precedence on the clash between the Spa and Laguna Seca races in May and at the Le Mans 24 Hours should the American team contest the WEC double-points round for a third year in succession.

Button was widely expected to stay with Jota having revealed at the start of the season that he saw his time in Hypercar as a two-year venture.

He had, however, refused to confirm his plans and whether he would continue racing ahead of the announcement on Thursday.

Button said: “I’m delighted to be continuing my journey with Hertz Team Jota as they form their new partnership with such an iconic brand as Cadillac.

“Racing with Jota this season has been such a privilege as they’re a team steeped in success in endurance racing and an operation I’ve long admired.

“Those achievements and hard work have now led to this exciting next chapter seeing them partner with Cadillac, a marque which has already impressed with what it has achieved to date in both WEC and IMSA.

#38 Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963: Jenson Button, Philip Hanson, Oliver Rasmussen

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

“The driver line-up is pretty impressive: we bring our collective experience of working with the Cadillac platform and the experience of working with Jota together.

“We have all the ingredients for a great season ahead.”

Jota director David Clark stated: “Cadillac’s pedigree in motorsport speaks for itself, and with these six drivers we will be in a strong position to challenge for race wins.”

Bourdais, 45, said he was “thankful to be part of this new adventure”, adding: “It’s a known quantity with the car and the GM people, so it’s cool to be able to continue there.”

Stevens, who took victory in the #12 Jota Porsche in last May’s WEC round at Spa, is continuing a relationship that stretches back to 2016.

The Briton has been a fixture with the team since winning the WEC P2 crown in 2022, saying: “I’ve made no secret of my intention to be with Jota for the long haul and to do this with Cadillac makes it even more special.”

Cadillac is upscaling its WEC assault this season in line with a new rule mandating two-car entries for manufacturer teams competing in Hypercar.

Ganassi fielded only one car in the WEC in 2023 and 2024: its two-car IMSA assault of 2022 with the DPi-V.R Daytona Prototype international was effectively split in half at the start of the Hypercar era, with one car racing in the world championship and one in North America.

It unilaterally announced in March that its relationship with Cadillac would come to an end at the conclusion of this year’s WEC and IMSA campaigns.

Ganassi ran Bamber and Lynn as a duo in the six-hour WEC races this year, but Jota always intended to stick with three drivers on its switch to Cadillac.

Team boss Sam Hignett has stressed the importance of racing with the same line-up as at Le Mans in all WEC events.

Jota will shake down its V-Series.R chassis at the Anneau du Rhin circuit close to the German border in northern France next week.

Chip Ganassi Racing IndyCar drivers past and present will bolster the line-up of Meyer Shank Racing’s Acura GTP crew for the Daytona 24 Hours and subsequent IMSA SportsCar Championship enduros.

Reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou and his Ganassi team-mate Scott Dixon will contest the five races that comprise the Michelin Endurance Cup with MSR, while MSR IndyCar racer Felix Rosenqvist will be a Daytona-only addition.

Dixon and Rosenqvist will join Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun, who won the first race of the new GTP era at Daytona in 2023 with MSR, while Palou will partner Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly at Sebring, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis and Petit Le Mans.

MSR returns to IMSA in 2025 after sitting out the 2024 campaign while Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti ran two works Acura ARX-06s.

But with WTR/Andretti switching to Cadillac, to take over from Chip Ganassi Racing as the GM brand’s factory squad in IMSA, it opened the door for MSR to return to the brand it won the 2022 IMSA DPi crown with.

Dixon and Palou both use engines from Acura’s sister brand Honda in IndyCar, facilitating their switch from Ganassi’s now-defunct Cadillac GTP programme along with van der Zande.

Palou made his Le Mans debut with a Ganassi-run Cadillac V-Series.R last year, finishing seventh, and also joined its roster for his second appearance at Daytona.

#60 Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

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Dixon won on his final outing for Cadillac at Petit Le Mans, and has three previous wins to his name at Daytona in 2006, 2015 and 2020; the latter coming alongside van der Zande.

Rosenqvist was previously Dixon’s IndyCar team-mate at Ganassi in 2019-20, before spending three years at Arrow McLaren then joining MSR in 2024. He has three previous starts at Daytona, the Swede’s two most recent appearances coming in LMP2 machinery.

Palou was set to take the IndyCar seat vacated by Rosenqvist at Arrow McLaren for 2024, but elected to stay with Ganassi and duly won his third title.

“It just made sense for Felix to join us at the 24,” said team boss Michael Shank, whose team has won at Daytona in 2012, 2022 and 2023.

“He’s really proved himself on the IndyCar side of things and I think he can be a big asset to us in IMSA.

“It’s a no-brainer that Scott knows what he’s doing in the IMSA endurance events and it’s really cool to finally have him come onboard after all these years.

“Alex is another one who knows what it takes in the GTP category and of course he’s coming off of a big high in IndyCar.”

Penske Entertainment has announced the purchase of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach — acquired from longtime owner Gerald R. Forsythe. The historic Grand Prix of Long Beach, the longest running street race based in Southern California, now joins the likes of the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Detroit Grand Prix as part of the portfolio of brands under Penske Entertainment, a subsidiary of Penske Corporation. 

Next year will mark the 50th edition of the historic event, with special programming planned to mark the occasion. The race will return to network television, with FOX set to broadcast the event Sunday, April 13.

“We’re incredibly proud to be the new stewards of this cherished and iconic event,” said Roger Penske. 

“This is the most historic and prestigious street circuit race in North America, and we’re excited to work with (Grand Prix of Long Beach CEO) Jim Michaelian and his great team in Long Beach to ensure continued success and growth over the long term. This race and its loyal fans matter so much to everyone across the IndyCar community, and we’re looking forward to a very special 50th anniversary celebration this April, as well.”

Michaelian extended his thoughts on the significance of Penske taking over the event.

“As we prepare to celebrate a truly remarkable milestone, the 50th anniversary of this amazing event, it’s fitting that we have such exciting and important news to share about its future,” said Michaelian. 

“Roger and the team at Penske Entertainment understand the special history and unique qualities that give us such a strong foundation and will be ideal partners as we continue to deliver an exceptional race weekend for our fans moving forward. I also want to acknowledge the significant contribution that the previous owners, Jerry Forsythe and the late Kevin Kalkhoven, made to the success of our event over the past 19 years.”

According to the press release, Penske Entertainment “plans to invest in bolstering and enhancing the experience for race fans, sponsors and hospitality customers.” It is already heavily involved in the promotions at various IndyCar events held at Iowa Speedway, the Milwaukee Mile and the Grand Prix of Arlington set for 2026

“This is a major race weekend, not just on our calendar but across the motorsport landscape,” Penske Entertainment President & CEO Mark Miles said. “We’re committed to preserving the core attributes that make it best in class while also working on some exciting and bold initiatives to make its future even bigger and brighter.”

The 1.968-mile circuit, which wraps around the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, typically hosts crowds over 190,000 people across its three-day weekend. Additionally, the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach, a charity organization, has donated more than $4.2 million to those in need within the Long Beach community.

“The Grand Prix is an incredibly vital and vibrant asset for our community and an annual event that drives commerce, attracts tourism and elevates cultural connectivity across our city,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. 

“Penske Entertainment will be a committed and energetic partner for the future that seeks to preserve and enhance this event’s rich history and strong legacy. We’re looking forward to a great working relationship that benefits everyone who calls Long Beach home.”

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Tech3 GasGas rider Pedro Acosta conceded that he gave away potential victories in his rookie MotoGP campaign by “f***cking up everything”.

Although Acosta managed to live up to the hype upon his graduation to the premier class this year, his season on the KTM RC16 has also been plagued by a series of mistakes and crashes from leading positions.

Most notably, the Spanish rider qualified on pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, only to crash out of both the sprint and the main race while in contention for victory.

Recapping his first year in MotoGP ahead of this weekend’s season finale in Barcelona, Acosta said that victories were an achievable target for him in 2024, but his unforced errors meant that he wasn’t able to improve on the second-place finishes he achieved in Austin and Mandalika.

“We were fighting for many wins in the season, the problem then [was] I f**k up everything,” he said.

“At the end, the target to fight for wins was there. The possibility was realistic, it was not something of dreaming. It’s true that it’s hard to see how many opportunities I put in the bin, but it’s part of the job also.

“With all the mistakes I do over the season it’s unbelievable I’m still P5 [in the championship. It’s important enough for sure but it’s more important to finish the year in a good mood, with good results.”

Pedro Acosta, Tech3 GASGAS Factory Racing

Photo by: Rob Gray / Polarity Photo

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Despite admitting to making several mistakes over the year, Acosta is still the highest-placed non-Ducati rider in the championship in fifth place, having outscored even KTM stablemate Brad Binder on the factory-entered bike.

The 2023 Moto2 champion burst into the scene at the start of the year, scoring a podium in only his second grand prix appearance at Portimao before finishing second at the next round in Austin.

Although his results then began to tail off, he was able to bounce back after the summer break, adding three more rostrum finishes to his tally.

Acosta gave himself a 6/10 rating ahead of the Barcelona finale, having previously thought his performances at the mid-point of the year were only good enough for a score of 4.5.

Asked to grade his first year in MotoGP, he said: “Six [out of 10]. Six maybe because putting everything together, all the mistakes I made, all the points I put in the bin, all the stupid crashes that I was having, all the things I needed to try [six is fair].

“In the last couple of races, I was trying things and then in the race I was racing with other things, and I was not really having time to work on a weekend.

“I will put a 6 because I said in the beginning we will go like this [pointing upwards] and then we drop. And from my point of view maybe it was not like this in the last couple of races but not bad.”