A vital figure within Marc Marquez’s inner circle has been credited with providing significant continuity amid numerous recent changes, reinforcing Marquez’s strong start to the 2024 MotoGP season. Despite moving from Honda to Gresini and now to the factory Ducati team, Marquez has maintained remarkable form with the steady backing of key support staff.
This season saw another shift in Marquez’s crew chief role, with Marco Rigamonti stepping in while Frankie Carchedi remained at Gresini. Yet, one individual remained constant through these transitions, helping to stabilize Marquez’s setup and performance.
Mattia Sereni: The Crucial Electronics Engineer
TNT Sports’ Michael Laverty highlighted the importance of Mattia Sereni, Marquez’s electronics engineer, who followed him across teams. Sereni often works behind the scenes but plays a critical role in crafting the detailed strategies for corner entry, anti-wheelie control, and traction management that suit Marquez’s riding style.
“He did bring one person with him,”
Laverty remarked.
“He’s brought him across, so that gives some continuity for him, but he is very adaptable and very versatile.”
—Michael Laverty, TNT Sports
This ongoing collaboration has allowed Marquez to swiftly adapt to a new environment and machinery, maintaining high performance despite evolving team dynamics.
Marquez’s Command Over Garage and Strategy
Marquez currently leads the MotoGP standings, showing impressive control and composure even when occasional mistakes arise. His skills in quickly adjusting to the challenging GP25 bike have outpaced even his teammate, Pecco Bagnaia, underlining his exceptional adaptability.
Laverty described Marquez’s presence during race preparations at the Texas GP, emphasizing his leadership in the garage.
“When we saw him in action on the grid in Texas, whenever it came to that five-minute window of strategy, he’s so in control of his crew as well,”
“He’s almost like the conductor, he controls his garage as much as anyone.”
—Michael Laverty, TNT Sports
Neil Hodgson further praised Marquez, recognizing the multiple challenges he has overcome this season.
“And he’s the best. He’s gone into Pecco’s team, Pecco’s garage; Pecco’s got the same crew chief he’s had for years, it’s an evolution of the 2024 bike. It’s incredible.”
—Neil Hodgson, Motorcycle Analyst
Marquez’s Return to Top Form Expected by Experts
Marquez’s return to peak performance after securing a top-tier MotoGP bike was widely anticipated among experts. Hodgson expressed this confidence, acknowledging Marquez’s skill and potential from early on.
“I think, personally, deep down, I thought Marc was going to dominate this year,”
he said.
“I think we all felt that, deep down, we thought that if Marc clicks with the bike, we know his ability, and basically that is what’s happened.”
“He’s got really confident on the bike and obviously had incredible success. I’d by lying if I said I was shocked that Marc’s dominating this year.”
—Neil Hodgson
Laverty admitted his initial hesitation last year, when Marquez first joined Ducati.
“I was hesitant to say it, because I was the same last year – ‘He’ll get on a Ducati and he’ll smoke them.’”
he recalled.
He noted that with the factory GP25, Marquez now has the necessary equipment to perform at his best.
“So, he’s finally able to have the best bike on the grid – his teammate says it’s not, but he’s got easily an equivalent bike of the top runners and then he makes the difference.”
—Michael Laverty
Currently, Marquez holds a 24-point lead over his brother Alex Marquez, with teammate Pecco Bagnaia further behind by 72 points.
Challenges Faced by Pecco Bagnaia Amid Marquez’s Dominance
The growing gap between Marquez and his teammate Bagnaia has been linked to the immense challenge of trying to match Marquez’s pace and style. Hodgson commented on the impact this has had on Bagnaia’s position in the team.
“If Enea Bastianini was still there, Pecco would be really comfortable, he’d be the number one in the team,”
Hodgson explained.
Bagnaia’s struggle to close the gap to Marquez’s timescales creates additional pressure, as he often falls behind by several tenths of a second.
“That obviously stresses you out, he’ll look at Marc’s data, but he obviously can’t do whatever Marc’s doing.”
—Neil Hodgson
Laverty echoed the difficulty of competing against Marquez within the same garage, citing past instances with other riders.
“I think anyone alongside Marc would struggle in that scenario: we’ve seen it with Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa – anyone who went into the garage alongside him, even his brother last year was a shadow of [his 2025 self].”
—Michael Laverty
A Vital Component of Marquez’s 2024 Campaign
The steady presence of Mattia Sereni and Marquez’s firm command over his team have been central to his current achievements in MotoGP. His ability to maintain inner-circle continuity and support while adapting to new teams, crew chiefs, and bikes has allowed him to maximize his potential.
As the season progresses, Marquez’s seamless integration into Ducati’s factory setup and the tactical edge provided by his close-knit team could continue to define his bid for championship success, emphasizing how critical such off-track alliances are in elite motorsport.
