Ducati has selected Jorge Martin for 2025. Now will Marquez go to Pramac?

He’s spent the last few months wondering what he should do to convince Ducati to give him the official bike. But now it seems it’s time to finally stop. He had always loved Ducati, Jorge Martin, but sometimes thought marriage was out of the question. In the winter of 2021-2022 in Borgo Panigale they decided that in 2023 he will be a partner of Francesco Bagnaia. But they did not take into account Enea Bastianini, who triumphed on his debut for Gresini. Between Jorge’s difficulties in GP22 (which Bagnaia ignored) and the monster’s continued results, the Spaniard saw the red suit taken off in short order. He believed in that again last season, challenging Pico for the title until the end. Had he emerged victorious from Valencia, he would have moved to the nearby garage during testing, in a swap deal that would have brought Bastianini to Pramac. “The suit was ready in my office,” Martin revealed. “If Ducati doesn’t see my potential yet, it means I will never be in the red,” he said on Sunday evening during the Pramac dinner. He was wrong, but he couldn’t have known it.

Solid leader

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Disappointment was the fuel that fueled Martin as he prepared for a crucial 2024 for him: Ducati or goodbye. Two wins (and three Sprints), second and third places in 6 Grands Prix, and just one zero in the penalty box – the accident at Jerez while leading – meant he arrived in Italy as a solid World Championship leader. This will be the case on Monday as well, given that Bagnaia’s 39 points are more than were available at the weekend. But from what emerges in his secrecy, Jorge also comes with the stigma of Pico’s future partner. After a long series of analyses, meetings and comparisons, Ducati was convinced that it could not abandon the Spaniard, and at the same time avoided making a “mistake” for Bagnaia, who with the arrival of Marc Marquez would see his status as leader. devoid of legitimacy. In recent days, negotiations have accelerated rapidly, which could lead to the definition of the agreement (not the announcement) at Mugello, where Ducati will present itself dressed in blue, in honor of Republic Day and hand over the baton with the team. Italy participates in the European Football Championship and the Paris Olympics.

Click on Sue Mark

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The choice of Martin would have been obvious had there not been a Marquez on the other side, someone who, regardless of his pedigree and market value, would not take anything to adapt to the GP23 affliction that plagues Pizzicchi, his brother Alex and Di Giannantonio. Marc tried (and did not stop) a lot of pressure to convince Ducati to promote him, also thanks to the respect of Gigi d’Alegna, who a year ago worked in the shadows to facilitate the Gresini operation and who now finds himself in trouble. A very complex puzzle. But even though Marquez is now fully back and just needs a win, Ducati knows it cannot afford to lose Martin. And with him, 20 years later, Yamaha is courting Pramac. With the reservation over Martin resolved, Mark now needs to be convinced that Pramac (along with Firmin Aldeguer) is the best possible option and that his treatment will be a perfect match for the in-house squad, so he can target the World Championship.

Put your feet down

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In recent weeks, Marquez has reiterated that he chose Ducati a year ago, and now that he is riding it, he wants it even more. As long as it’s official. Of course, he could put his foot down and threaten to say goodbye, but in 2025 he will be 32 years old and it is not certain that he will start from scratch on a new bike, perhaps an Aprilia (Aleix Espargaro needs to be replaced), but Maverick Viñales also offers for others) or a KTM (where the Betting it all on Pedro Acosta), can be just as effective. Given the impossibility of Gresini taking the GP25, despite Nadia Padovani’s attempts, the Pramac solution remains the best for Marquez. What will he decide?