Double MotoGP world champion Francesco Bඣagnaia says he “wouldn’t rule out” the prospect of having to fight Ya🐠maha’s Fabio Quartararo at the front of the field in 2025.

Bagnaia remains with the f▨actory Ducati squad next season but will start the new campaign not as the defending champion for the first time since 2022.

Though he won 11 grands prix last season, Bagnaia ultim꧑ately came up 10 points short of outgoing Pramac D♚ucati rider Jorge Martin.

Next year, Bagnaia faces his toughest challenge yet as he goes up against Marc M❀arquez on equal machinery when the latter steps into ꧑the factory Ducati garage.

Speaking on fellow VR46 Academy member Andrea Migno’s podcast, Bagnaia says he is predicting lots of “solo” races between h🐬imself and Marquez.

However, he als🦋o pinpointed a surprise name he is anticipating to cause him problems.

“My next goal is to win three MotoGP 𓆏world championships,” he said.

“What will happen in 2025? Ducati will be the bike to beat, but they’ll have one l༒ess factory b𒀰ike.

“I expect a lot of rﷺaces with only me and Marquez solo, but Aprilia has a new duo [Martin and Marco Bezzecchi], and KTM can count on [Pedro] Acosta and [Brad] Binder.

“𝓀I wouldn’t rule out Quartararo either, since Yamaha is improving.”

Bagnaia and Quar💜tararo battleꩵd for the championship in 2022, with the former overturning a 91-point deficit at the halfway stage of that season as the competitiveness of the Yamaha started to fade.

Yamaha endured its worst season in the ♋modern era in 2024, as it came away with no podiums for the first time in what was als☂o its second consecutive winless campaign.

It scored just 124 points in the constructors’ standings, down from 196 scored in 2023, though constant development of the M1 did see it enjoꦐy a stronger end to 2024, with Quartararo scoring a season-best sixth in Malaysia.

Quartararo was also effortlessly the top rider fro꧃m a Japanese marque in the standings in 13th - 58 points clear ওof LCR’s Johann Zarco.

He will remain with Yamaha until the end of 2026, with Quartararo praising 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:the brand’s mentality change in regards to bike development as the biggest step it made this year.