Marco Rigamonti (Ducati): "Two things surprise me about Marquez

Marco Rigamonti became a world championship chief technician after Marc Marquez won the MotoGP title. He made his paddock debut in 2009 with Pramac Ducati alongside Nicolò Canepa, and has worked with Aleix Espargaro, De Puniet, Barberá, Iannone, Zarco, and Bastianini. In 2025 comes the consecration with the Cervera superstar and the factory Ducati colors.

For Rigamonti it was an extraordinary year, studded with victories, records, and very few crashes. The Italian engineer stepped into the spotlight thanks to Marc Marquez, gained notoriety, and now many people ask him for autographs. "Yes, but it’s not something I like. I’m the same as last year, the team is the same," he told 'Marca'. "But the world is like that in everything, not just in motorsport. You have to accept it, and when Marc is no longer here, I’ll accept not having to do any interviews. That’s how it is, you just accept it."

A once-in-a-lifetime train, especially in the MotoGP World Championship, where no brand and no rider are eternal. What surprised him about Marc Marquez? "Two things: one, the main one, of course, how strong he was, which we did not expect. The aspect that surprised me most, in sporting terms, is how attentive he is to every detail... But what surprised us most is the human side. It’s undeniable that he has a résumé that should make him a superstar, but if you eat and talk with him, he’s less VIP than many others we’ve worked with in the past."

The Cervera phenomenon has great self-confidence and passes it on to his staff. Not only can he adapt to the bike perfectly, but he can assess every single innovation like few others. Moreover, he has self-belief like no one else. "He never doubts himself; he knows he can achieve certain results, which puts me in the optimal position of not being demotivated or depressed. Because he knows that if he’s positive, the results will come."

Alongside Marc Marquez, even an experienced chief technician like Marco Rigamonti has something to learn. And there’s always reason to be astonished in the face of certain flashes of pure talent... "The magic he does is when he saves the bike, the crash. The experience he’s had, his approach, leads him to do extraordinary things, which aren’t magical at all, but the result of work at home and at the track that brought him to that level."

Next MotoGP season, the gap to his rivals could widen even further.... "What I can say is that this year there were races in which he didn’t push one hundred percent... For me he can go beyond that, but I can’t tell you where the limit is," Rigamonti concluded.

Photo Michelin Motorsport