Xaus: Pressure Could Spark Tension Inside Ducati Garage

Tension inside the Ducati Lenovo garage has become a focal point for Ruben Xaus. The Superbike legend believes the dynamic between Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia could trigger emotional undercurrents that aren't visible on the surface. According to him, the atmosphere within the box is not just about professionalism—feelings come into play.

“When you're in the garage and you have Marc Marquez, who brings smiles, never complains, even when he crashes, people fall in love with him,” Xaus said in his analysis on Duralavita. That positive attitude, he added, can infect the entire crew and change the way they work. But problems arise when results don't improve.

“You want to give everything to Bagnaia, but you see him struggling every day, throwing in the towel, while the other doesn't. It's normal,” Xaus added. He stressed that humans in the team have emotions, and such situations are part of competition.

Baca JugaXaus: Tekanan Bisa Picu Ketegangan di Dalam Garasi Ducati

Xaus also highlighted Jorge Martin, who he believes is in a strong psychological position. “Martin has no pressure because he's leaving,” Xaus explained. With his contract already sorted, Martin is expected to focus purely on racing without future burden.

However, Xaus warned that advantage could be diminished as Aprilia's development priorities shift to Marco Bezzecchi, who stays. Despite that, Martin's ability to perform under pressure remains his key weapon.

“He's made basic mistakes before, but when pressure increases, he gets more focused. Like Jorge Lorenzo in the past,” Xaus said. According to him, Martin is showing an outstanding level this season after a turbulent contract saga.

With competition tighter than ever, every point is precious. Xaus cited that one bad day could cost 20 points, and three poor weekends mean 60. “Now the gap from 1st to 15th is just 20 seconds, whereas it used to be a minute. A small mistake can drop you far back,” he concluded.