Today saw the much-anticipated arrival of Hamilton in Maranello, while Ducati unveiled the GP25 with Marc Marquez.
255 kilometers separate Maranello and Madonna di Campiglio, but today these two locations have never been so close. United by a thin reddish thread, fluid and so enveloping that it stops time itself, relegating it to the amphitheater of legend.
Where the greatest rest, where titanic images are carved, capable of tearing down the walls of empty rooms. On this same grey, wintry morning, on this “blue Monday,” the day takes another turn and caresses everything it encounters with a touch of red.
On this same morning, Ferrari and Ducati enter the history of motorsport in parallel: in Maranello, Lewis Hamilton arrives for his first day as a driver with Ferrari, while further up, in Madonna di Campiglio, Ducati unveils its GP25 with Francesco Bagnaia and eight-time world champion Marc Marquez.
It’s an incredible historic moment that unites two closely-knit realities, two legends, two brands that have written and continue to write pages and pages of victories, battles, and world championships. World championships, indeed: there are 15 of them between Lewis Hamilton and Marc Marquez, separated by only a few kilometers and perhaps by a long road that divides the factories of Ferrari and Ducati.
Lewis Hamilton allowed himself to be swept up in poetry and the purest of truths while commenting on his first day at Maranello:
“There are days you know you’ll remember forever. Today, my first day as a Scuderia Ferrari HP driver, is certainly one of them. In my career, I’ve been fortunate to reach milestones I never thought possible, but a part of me has always held on to the dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier today that this dream is coming true. I’m incredibly grateful to John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna, Fred Vasseur, and everyone at Ferrari for the trust they’ve placed in me and for making me a part of this family. I’m excited to start this new era and begin working with a group of talented people who inspire me greatly. I’ll give my best for the team, for the company, and for the fans. Today, we start a new chapter in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to discover the pages we’ll write together.”
As emotional as a rookie, the eight-time world champion Marc Marquez, in Madonna di Campiglio, spoke at the Ducati presentation:
“I still get butterflies in my stomach, but I’m more realistic about what it means to wear these colors. When the current factory bets on you, you feel the pressure of fighting for the title. The main goal is to be up front and bring home as many points as possible. .I’m satisfied with the work done last year, especially how everything evolved throughout the season, how I became increasingly competitive, and how I developed the confidence that’s so important when tough decisions have to be made.”
We are witnessing history because everything is happening right before our eyes, for the ages. The very same history that, with these protagonists, has all the makings of becoming legend.