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Livio Suppo was the Honda HRC Team Principal from 2011 to 2017, the architect of Casey Stoner's arrival under Nakamoto management, but he also saw and managed Marc Marquez's thunderous debut. He's not surprised by Marc's decision, but in his opinion Fausto Gresini would have handled it differently.
"In my opinion, Fausto would not have signed a two-year renewal with Ducati, but would have chosen to move to KTM instead. So he would probably have had the pairing of Marquez-Acosta. But it's easy to say it now. However, it is certainly good for the MotoGP championship. When a rider of Marquez's stature takes a step like that it creates enormous interest. And you want to know something? In my opinion it's a great opportunity for the Ducati riders, all of them, because now there's a creeping voice in their heads: yes they are strong, but no one has never beaten Marquez. In 2024 they will clash with him on the same bike and will have the chance to chase away any ambiguity."
It's a very interesting opinion, this fact of the move to KTM.
"Maybe, Pierer is a very important figure, he finances teams and championships. It's important that he also has a third team, six KTMs and six Ducatis. He serves to rebalance everything."
It will end up like this anyway, in our opinion. Maybe Dorna should have thought about it first when it vetoed KTM. It didn't think that Marquez might decide to go to a private team and leave Honda.
"It was too soon, no one could have imagined it. However, I repeat, it's nice: a Top Rider who changes bikes always arouses a lot of interest. Let's think about how the Valencia test will be followed at the end of the year if Honda lets Marc get on the Ducati. A incredible return for MotoGP. And as I said before: for the Ducati riders it goes from being a problem, having someone like Marc on the same bike, to an opportunity, being able to fight with him on equal terms."
Are you among those who think that Marquez will dominate on a Ducati?
"That's what Cal Crutchlow thinks. In my opinion he won't dominate, but he will win races."
Speaking of Grands Prix... the 2024 season will be even tougher, with 22 races.
"Twenty-two? Forty-four, with the Sprints. They are too many, and in fact there have been twice as many incidents. One never thinks about one fact: for the teams in the lower classes, Moto3 and Moto2, it is becoming unsustainable. They should make them do the European trips and only some of the overseas ones. After all, when we were at Laguna Seca, only MotoGP raced!".
One thing surprised me about this moment: everyone spoke, including Gigi Dall'Igna. Claudio Domenicali, however, remained strangely silent.
"Yes, I almost didn't expect it from Gigi who virtually confirmed everything live on TV two weeks ago but for Claudio it's normal. When there are these strange situations he always stays out of the way. Maybe I'll make a comment as soon as I hear from him: Claudio you don't count for anything anymore!", he concluded jokingly.
