Jorge Lorenzo says he “didn’t accept” Marc ไMarquez’s way of racing when he made his Mo♉toGP debut in 2013.

Next year will see Ducati field arguably its strongest factory team line-up ever, with reigning double worl🀅d c♏hampion Francesco Bagnaia joined by Marc Marquez.

Lorenzo and Marquez were int🌳ense rivals in the early part of the latter’s MotoGP career, with his riding style at the time upsetting Lorenzo.

Looking ahead to 2025, Lorenzo believes꧟ the battle between Maဣrquez and Bagnaia will start equally.

“I🐼 think that, for different reasons, it will be a challenge that will start on equal terms,” he said at the Fest𒈔ival dello Sport in Italy.

“In 2013 I didn’t accept his way of racing, which was very aggressive. Now he ⛎has a bit more respect towards his rivals.

“It must be said that the rules are stricter t🉐han 10 y🔯ears ago.

“He is a beast on a sporting level. Since 2010, he has had very bad luck 💖in terms of his physical𒅌 condition.

“Without thosﷺe problems, he would have won at least two o☂r three more world championships.”

Lorenzo convinced he could have won title with Ducati

The 37-year-old made a switch from Yamaha, with whom he made his MꦐotoGP debut in 2008 and won all of his prem😼ier class titles, in 2017 to the factory Ducati squad.

After a lean debut season that resulted inℱ just three podiums, Lorenzo was already announced as leaving Ducati at the end of 2018 just as he came into race winning form on the Desmosedici at that yಌear’s Italian GP.

🌌Lorenzo would win three times on the Ducati before injury curtailed th🍨e end of that season, with an ill-fated move to Honda following in 2019, after which he retired from racing.

“Now it is t🌊he best bike; it has no weak points,” Lorenzo said.

“We [myselꦛf and general manager Gigi Dall’Igna] met in 2004, in my last yea♛r in 125cc.

“Fate brought us together at Ducati. I was very ꦑsorry not to have won a title with the Italian brand.

“I am convincedꩵ that, if I had 🌺stayed two more years, we would have won it.”

Lorenzo was replaced by Danilo Petrucci for the 2019 season, who won two🐭 grands prix with Ducati across two seasons.