Метка: Pramac Racing

Why the choice of Pramac riders will test Yamaha’s MotoGP resolve

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Whether officially announced or not, virtually all the spots on the 2025 MotoGP grid have been finalised. Only one free slot is truly up for grabs at Pramac, where Miguel Oliveira is all but certain to join from Trackhouse, as Yamaha regains its longed-for satellite squad.

The Japanese company until not so many years ago dominated the premier class with champions such as Valentino Rossi (2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009) and Jorge Lorenzo (2010, 2012 and 2015). Yamaha’s most recent title came just three years ago (2021) with Fabio Quartararo, but it has lost its competitive edge over the European constructors, especially when compared to Ducati.

The turning point in the widening of that gap came precisely when Yamaha lost its satellite team at the end of 2022 due to disagreements with Razlan Razali, the squad’s owner. Yamaha executives failed to appreciate the significance of that loss which was accentuated as Rossi, no longer part of its riding stable in 2022, had immediately teamed up with Ducati for his VR46 team and turned his back on the constructor for which he remains a brand ambassador.

This led to Ducati having eight bikes on the grid in 2023 and 2024, further accelerating the development of its bike to a point where it has become unattainable for the rest. Just look at the top 10 at the British Grand Prix, where eight Desmosedici finished in a top 10 which included no Japanese bikes.

Once the serious mistake was detected, Lin Jarvis, Yamaha’s director, set to work to recover those two extra bikes as soon as possible. In 2023 he tried to convince Rossi and his VR46 operation to leave Bologna and take the step that everyone thought was natural. The answer then was the same as the one given a year later: no.

«VR46 is our plan A, our first choice and what we want to do. Plan B is Pramac. After that, there are no other alternatives,» a Yamaha executive explained to Motorsport.com at Le Mans before a deal with Pramac was finalised at the end of June.

Oliveira is widely expected to join Pramac from Trackhouse, but the identity of his soon-to-be team-mate is less clear cut

Oliveira is widely expected to join Pramac from Trackhouse, but the identity of his soon-to-be team-mate is less clear cut

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Yamaha has done its homework. Jarvis managed to convince Quartararo to renew his contract and then met one of the first conditions set by the Frenchman to stay by expanding to four M1s for 2025. Last week, the renewal of Alex Rins was announced, closing the factory team’s portfolio. With that achieved, the company’s leaders are now focusing on putting together the satellite structure.

«It’s our partner team; Yamaha provides the bikes, and the riders we’re going to decide on, but obviously we’re going to agree it with the interests and concerns of Pramac,» another senior executive from the Japanese company told Motorsport.com at Silverstone. This authoritative voice was then asked directly who decides on the identity of the Pramac riders.

«The first scenario was to bring in an experienced rider [Oliveira] and a young rider, a rookie,» replied the Yamaha source. In this approach, the first candidate to partner the Portuguese rider was Sergio Garcia, and the second, Alonso Lopez, both currently in Moto2.

Motorsport.com understands that Miller is once again a real option to race an M1

«The second possibility was to sign two experienced riders, with knowledge of the category, to help develop the bike more quickly. After talking to Pramac, we evaluated the possibility of a young Italian rider, as a matter of sensitivity with the sponsors,» continued the source, referring to the wishes of Prima, the sponsor of Paolo Campionoti’s team.

In this context, the name Tony Arbolino has gained momentum, with Quartararo lauding the Moto2 race winner as a good fit. But an important question remains. How determined is Yamaha to put the development of the M1 at the centre?

This weekend at Silverstone, Jack Miller’s name was once again on the table. The Australian claimed on Thursday in the run-up to the grand prix that his phone had not rung, as he seeks a new team after KTM promoted Pedro Acosta from Tech3, while signing Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini to the satellite arm.

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«I don’t have any offers,» Miller said, setting off alarm bells in a championship that has always encouraged a diversity of nationalities, but without leaving out the best riders, regardless of their country of origin. «If there are a lot of Italian and Spanish riders on the grid, it is because they are fast,» has always been Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta’s defence.

Miller could find an unexpected reprieve at Pramac next year

Miller could find an unexpected reprieve at Pramac next year

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Miller’s cry for help reached the right ears and, within 48 hours, the Townsville rider who represented Pramac from 2018 to 2020 was seen in its hospitality suite with his manager, Aki Ajo, and a member of the championship’s commercial department. Nothing has emerged from the meeting, but Motorsport.com understands that Miller is once again a real option to race an M1.

That would leave Pramac with two riders with identical profiles: Oliveira and Miller are the same age (29) and experience (14 years in the world championship), have won a fairly even number of races (four for Miller and five for Oliveira), have been through factory and satellite teams, know the business and are commercially attractive as the only representatives of their respective countries in MotoGP.

If Miller is deemed to be the solution for decision-makers at Iwata or Gerno di Lesmo, where all Yamaha’s operations are now based, it makes perfect sense to close the deal. But if Yamaha comes to Miller’s rescue only because of external pressure, it will cast serious doubts on the project.

Keeping a rider based on his passport would lead to the conclusion that the new world championship ownership coming in at the end of the year is more about diversity than speed. But, above all, it would give a true measure of Yamaha’s determination to put the development and growth of the bike at the centre of its priorities.

Miller would represent a more experienced candidate for Pramac than Arbolino

Miller would represent a more experienced candidate for Pramac than Arbolino

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images



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Arbolino is ready for MotoGP with Pramac

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Fabio Quartararo has publicly backed Moto2 race winner Tony Arbolino for a move up to MotoGP next year, believing he will be a good fit for Yamaha’s new satellite team Pramac.

With it all but confirmed that Trackhouse rider Miguel Oliveira will lead Pramac next year, the attention has turned to the second seat at the Italian squad — one of the last remaining places on the 2025 grid.

It is understood that Pramac wants to pair Oliveira with an up-and-coming rider from the junior ranks, with MT Helmets — MSI’s Sergio Garcia initially emerging as the prime candidate for the ride.

However, Marc VDS rider Arbolino has also come into play in recent weeks, despite the Italian going through a rough fourth season in Moto2.

After finishing runner-up to current Tech3 MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta in the 2023 title fight and scoring three wins, Arbolino has managed no higher than sixth this year and he currently sits outside the top 10 in the championship.

But the 23-year-old enjoys a good relationship with factory Yamaha rider Quartararo ever since he moved to Andorra, with the Frenchman endorsing him for the second seat at Pramac.

Although Quartararo doesn’t have a direct say in the decision, he does exert some influence in the same way as Pramac’s title sponsor Prima.

Tony Arbolino, Marc VDS Racing Team

Tony Arbolino, Marc VDS Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Asked for his opinion on Arbolino, who also finished second in the Moto3 standings in 2020 prior to his step up to the intermediate class, Quartararo said: «For me, he is ready — I’m not pushing because he is my friend.

«This year has not been easy for him. I don’t know if the [new Pirelli] tyres or how they manage the work with him, but he has been one of the riders that have made more than 10 podiums in a row. For me he is ready and he just didn’t show the results this year.

«But in my case it was exactly the same. I never won more than two races, I never made more than three podiums in Moto2 and straight away MotoGP I was ready.

«So for me he is ready. Now he is living really close to me and I know [how] hard he is working and I know he can be ready to step up for MotoGP.»

Quartararo, who was hailed as the next star in his early career, did struggle in his two seasons in Moto2, scoring just one victory in Barcelona in 2018. However, he went on to finish fifth in his first season in the premier class with Petronas SRT.

Having top-quality riders at Pramac is important for the 2021 champion, as Yamaha adds Pramac to its stable and expands its MotoGP programme to four equal bikes.

The Japanese manufacturer concluded a deal with Alex Rins on the eve of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, ensuring it heads to 2025 with the same line-up.

Asked about the importance of continuity at a time Yamaha is trying to rebuild itself, the 25-year-old said: «I think it’s great. Alex has done a good job this year.

«The feedback that he has been doing is the same as me, even if the riding style is totally different.

«Also next year with two more bikes, also the testing, it will be nice. We are working in a really good way.»

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Pramac and I «more alone» than before amid impending Ducati MotoGP split

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Jorge Martin feels he and Pramac are “more alone” than in previous years as they prepare to leave Ducati’s stable after the 2024 MotoGP season.

Pramac rider Martin has hinted that he and his team are beginning to lose support from Ducati, which now appears to be prioritising the title challenge of factory team rider Francesco Bagnaia.

Martin, who has spent his entire MotoGP career with the Italian marque so far, is joining Aprilia on a multi-year contract from 2025, while Pramac is ending an even longer partnership in favour of a satellite deal with Yamaha.

“I think everything is normal at Pramac, not that much has changed compared to before,” the Spaniard told GPOne. “But these future changes have brought us closer together as a team.

“It’s not that we are alone, but we are certainly more alone than in past seasons. Before, we were sure that we would continue with Ducati, we could easily get over many things. Now, as a team, we have to unite even more to give 100%.”

Pramac has been Ducati’s primary satellite team for a number of years and receives factory equipment and engineers as part of their long-standing tie-up.

Martin, meanwhile, is directly on Ducati’s payroll and was shortlisted for a seat at the works team alongside Bagnaia, before it elected to sign six-time champion Marc Marquez to replace Tech3-bound Enea Bastianini.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

But while the 26-year-old is going to spend the next phase of his career with Aprilia, he isn’t ruling out a potential return to Borgo Panigale in the future.

Speaking at the World Ducati Week in Misano, Martin recalled the time he made his step up to MotoGP in 2021: “It’s been a nice story with Ducati and Pramac. We haven’t closed the circle yet, but I think it’s been years of development of the bike, of the team. I would say that we’ve grown together.

“When I arrived, Ducati wasn’t the best bike, it hadn’t won any titles yet [since Casey Stoner’s success in 2007]. But with Pecco, Enea Bastianini and also with me, I think the project has grown.

“It’s a shame I couldn’t continue, but I’m happy to be here. Maybe it won’t be my last WDW, maybe I’ll come back in the future. But that’s how things are now.”

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Martin ‘had no chance to be first’ throughout Assen MotoGP weekend

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


MotoGP standings leader Jorge Martin feels his Dutch Grand Prix grid penalty had no impact on his ability to fight for victory, noting he had ‘no chance to be first’.

The Pramac Ducati rider struggled for feeling on his GP24 in Friday practice and admitted then that he was surprised he was even inside the top 10.

Martin was able to challenge for pole, but couldn’t outpace Bagnaia, and could do nothing to beat the factory Ducati team rider in both races.

The championship leader – who is now only 10 points clear of Bagnaia – was hit with a three-place grid penalty for the grand prix for an infringement in qualifying, dropping him from second to fifth.

Martin was able to get up to second in the opening few corners but doesn’t believe the penalty denied him a chance to fight Bagnaia, who beat him by 3.676 seconds.

“No, I don’t think so,” Martin said when asked if the penalty hurt his victory hopes.

“I don’t think today I had any chance, or this weekend, to be first.

“Maybe in qualifying, I was close. Maybe I could improve a little bit that lap time, but in the race it was impossible.

“Pecco was on another level. Maybe something would be different [without the penalty], maybe I would have tried a move at the beginning, I don’t know.

“But I got the penalty, so there’s no sense speaking about that.”

Martin added: “Was a difficult weekend, at least on Friday and Saturday morning.

“We were able to turn it around with yesterday’s podium. The feeling wasn’t fantastic, but today I have no excuse.

“I have to congratulate Pecco, because he was riding on another level.

“I felt perfect, I felt I was riding really good, I saw the lap times and it was amazing how fast we were going. And still, he was pulling away with some tenths every lap.”

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Bagnaia, who celebrated his fifth grand prix win of the campaign and matched Casey Stoner’s tally of 23 career Ducati victories, admits there was must-win pressure on his shoulders given his form all weekend at Assen.

However, he “didn’t care» about this, stating: “For sure, it’s a really great moment.

“But also in 2021, last part of the season, 2022 in the middle of the season, last year at the start.

“So, many times it happened to me that I was feeling fantastic with the bike.

“Any moment I think I know perfectly our potential, I know if we work well we can fight every time for a win, and we can have some race weekends like this.

“So, this is giving me a lot of motivation. When you start a race that everyone says you have to win, for the pace, for what you did all the weekend, a second position is already a loss.

“So, in terms of pressure, it’s more but I didn’t care and I just enjoyed everything. I love this track, I love going fast, and with this kind of feeling in this track, it wasn’t a problem. So, I just enjoyed everything.”

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Marquez doesn’t feel «guilty» for Pramac/Ducati MotoGP split

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Marc Marquez says he ‘doesn’t feel guilty’ about Pramac leaving Ducati for Yamaha for the 2025 MotoGP season because he feels “I didn’t do anything”.

On Friday afternoon at the Dutch Grand Prix, Pramac confirmed Motorsport.com’s earlier reports that it would be ditching Ducati for Yamaha from 2025.

The move comes in the wake of Ducati’s decision to promote Marc Marquez to the factory team next year after the Spaniard refused a works bike at Pramac.

With Jorge Martin leaving for Aprilia, Ducati’s decision to promote Marquez was likely to lead to Pramac signing a deal with Yamaha.

But Marquez – who was sixth-fastest on Friday at Assen – believes his own future plans have had nothing to do with this.

“I don’t feel guilty about Pramac leaving Ducati, because I didn’t do anything,” he said.

“It is true that as a Ducati rider I would have liked them to continue, because it would be two more bikes on track, more information and it is an important team within Ducati.

“As a MotoGP fan I think it is good news. On the one hand, selfishly speaking, I prefer two more Ducati on track, but as a fan it was the normal step, that one of the Ducati teams would go with Yamaha, for the championship to have four Japanese bikes, two Italian bikes less on track.

“It opens more options to other manufacturers, sponsors…”

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo has been pushing the Japanese marque to find a new satellite team, having been without one since the end of 2022.

The 2021 world champion says he has spent the last few months persuading Pramac to make the switch and feels it will be “a big help” to Yamaha in 2025.

“I think one of the reasons that we signed also with Yamaha was this was something really important for us,” he said, referring to his own two-year extension with Yamaha.

“It’s a few months I’m pushing with the Pramac team that they have to come with us, and finally today it’s official.

“It’s going to be a big help for us in the future.

“Also last year they won the teams’ title, so that we have one of the most experienced teams in the paddock is really important.”

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Pramac announces Ducati split, move to Yamaha MotoGP structure

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Pramac has announced that it will part ways with Ducati at the end of the current MotoGP season to become a satellite Yamaha team in 2025.

As revealed by Autosport on Thursday, the Italian outfit will bring the curtain down to a relationship that began almost two decades ago in 2005 to ink a new multi-year deal with Yamaha.

Pramac has appeared stronger than ever this year with two factory-spec GP24s, with Jorge Martin taking an 18-point lead to this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. But despite competitive performance on track, a series of other disagreements with Ducati led Paolo Campinoti’s squad to not take up the option it had to renew its contract with Ducati. 

Campinoti had detected a growing interest from Ducati in the VR46 structure, and the Italian marque even raised the possibility of Pramac giving up an official bike to Valentino Rossi’s team, which triggered a war — and the eventual separation- between the two parties.

Their split however means Yamaha will once again have a satellite team in its stable, the culmination of the efforts of team boss Lin Jarvis who is due to retire from his post at the end of 2024.

Getting two additional Yamaha M1s on the 2025 grid was the next main goal for Jarvis after he had successfully convinced 2021 champion Fabio Quartararo to remain with the Japanese manufacturer under a new multi-year deal. 

Bringing Pramac under its fold is expected to be a major boost for Yamaha in its quest to return to the sharp end of the grid, as it will have more resources to develop the M1.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

The Iwata brand intends on supplying four identical bikes across its two teams next season, offering parity of equipment to Pramac as part of their contract. It marks a change of philosophy for the brand, having previously focused on doing business rather than improving the competitiveness of its bikes with satellite teams.

It’s not yet clear which two riders will line up for Pramac next year, with Martin already having announced his decision to join the factory Aprilia team next year. 

The rider market shape-up caused by Ducati, which has signed Marc Marquez to partner Francesco Bagnaia at its works team next year, doesn’t leave many top-quality alternatives for the squad.

Another candidate that has been talked about a lot recently is World Superbike superstar Toprak Razgatlioglu, although the Turkish rider is tied to BMW until 2026 and will need to find a way to break his contract.

Pramac could consider promoting young riders as well, so Moto2 Sergio García or Alonso Lopez can not be ruled out.

As a consequence of Pramac tying up with Yamaha, VR46 will automatically inherit its current position and enjoy factory support from next year.

Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team

Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

In principle, the squad should receive two identical bikes to factory team riders Marquez and Bagnaia, along with full technical support. But, that is assuming that VR46 will agree to cover the price of two VR46s instead of just one.

VR46 has not decided on its line-up either, although one of the riders should be Fermin Aldeguer, who was signed by Ducati at the beginning of the year and was set to be originally placed at Pramac.

The other rider, due to familiarity to Ducati, could be Martin’s current Pramac team-mate Franco Morbidelli.



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Ducati has offered full support in MotoGP despite Aprilia deal

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Jorge Martin says Ducati has assured him that he will get its full support in the 2024 MotoGP title fight despite his impending split from the Italian manufacturer.
Pramac rider Martin will leave the Ducati fold after four seasons to join Aprilia on a multi-year deal in 2025, having lost out in the race to secure a works seat at the Borgo Panigale marque to six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez.
The 26-year-old is currently in the thick of the championship fight with factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia and Gresini’s Marquez, holding a small but substantial 18-point lead in the standings heading to this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Assen.

If Martin ends up winning the title, it raises the prospect of him taking the prestigious number 1 plate to Aprilia next year, which would not sit well with Ducati. 

Moreover, the Pramac team he races with is closing in on a deal to become a Yamaha satellite squad next year, with an announcement expected later this weekend.

Given the situation, Ducati would be better off focusing its efforts on Bagnaia and to a lesser extent Marquez, but Martin has made it clear that both he and the Italian marque remain committed to giving their all until the end of their contract period.

«For my side, I’m a professional rider, I’m paid by Ducati, I race for Ducati and for the moment till Valencia Ducati is my home,» he said.

Jorge Martin, Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing

Jorge Martin, Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing

Photo by: Aprilia Racing

«I will give my 100% to win or give my best to try to win and, from that case, they told me also I will have the same material I had till the moment.

«So I’m confident that it will not be an issue and I can battle with these two guys with fair conditions.»

Ducati had initially chosen Martin to replace Enea Bastianini in its factory line-up but was forced to take a U-turn on its decision after Marquez refused to accept joining Pramac, even on a factory-spec bike.

Amid the fear of losing Marquez to a rival, Ducati was left with no option but to promote him from Gresini to join Bagnaia next year, creating an all-star line-up.

Unhappy at being overlooked for that coveted seat for a second time in three years, Martin took things into his own hands and inked a deal with Aprilia on Monday after the Italian Grand Prix that will see him spearhead the Noale marque’s factory assault.

Speaking at Assen, Martin admitted that he was «frustrated» with how things unfolded over the course of the Mugello race week, as he went from being chosen for the factory Ducati seat to having to look outside the Italian camp entirely, but feels he is joining a better place where he is «really wanted».

«For sure, it was an eventful weekend in Mugello even if I wasn’t aware of [what was happening in the background],» he explained.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«I arrived in Mugello with some ideas, with some information that then during the weekend changed quite a lot. So as soon as the race finished, I understood that maybe it wasn’t that clear so I had to take a decision. 

«I understood that sometimes in life things don’t go as you expect or as you want. For sure it was a bit frustrating, not in Mugello, but afterwards, after four years of trying to go to the official bike.

«I understood that I wasn’t the decision or the best solution for Ducati. That it was Marc.

«But I took the best opportunity I could, I think I will be much happier (in the) next years where I go and I also will be a factory rider, that was my dream.

«So I go to a place where they really want me and where they will give their 100% for me.»

Martin didn’t elaborate on how exactly his career took a different turn at Mugello, only saying that «but for sure something or someone arrived and changed the idea».

He added: «I’m frustrated because after such a long time trying to go [to the factory team]. It always seemed like it would never arrive and finally, it didn’t arrive, so it was easy. 

«But I wasn’t convinced 100% that I would go in there because of that. Things happen like they have to happen, but I’m happy about what happened.»

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Pramac to leave Ducati and become Yamaha satellite MotoGP team from 2025

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Pramac will leave Ducati for the 2025 MotoGP season and become a Yamaha satellite team, with Motorsport.com understanding an official announcement is expected this weekend.

The team will end an association of almost two decades with Ducati as a satellite team to embrace the offer presented by Yamaha, a possibility that had been cooking very seriously for months.

Motorsport.com was able to confirm that the decision has been made and the official announcement will take place this weekend at Assen, where the Dutch GP, the eighth stop on the 2024 MotoGP calendar, will be held.

With the decision to leave Ducati, Pramac is giving up a two-year contract as the Bologna-based manufacturer’s first partner team that entitled it to two factory bikes — a status it has been enjoying since 2020.

Ducati put an expiration date of renewal as the end of 2026, which was a decision that is the origin of the disagreement between the manufacturer and team owner Paolo Campinoti, and which has finally led to a premature break-up.

This news also comes in the wake of Ducati’s decision not to promote Jorge Martin to its factory team in 2025 in favour of Marc Marquez, forcing the current championship leader to sign for Aprilia.

Pramac entered MotoGP in 2002 by sponsoring the Honda Racing Team, and in 2005 it partnered with the D’Antin Team, already on Ducati machinery.

Since then the relationship between the manufacturer and Campinoti has gone through ups and downs, until in 2020 Pramac became a partner team, enjoying the best material from the manufacturer.

Last year both parties reached an agreement to continue together in 2025 and 2026, with the same conditions and material.

This year, however, Campinoti detected a growing interest from Ducati in the VR46 structure, and the manufacturer even raised the possibility of Pramac ‘ceding’ an official bike to Valentino Rossi’s team, which triggered the war between the two parties.

Franco Morbidelli, Pramac Racing

Franco Morbidelli, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Yamaha’s first choice when it came to recovering the satellite team it lost two seasons ago was none other than Rossi’s VR46 squad, given the historic ties between the two and the fact the nine-time world champion is now a brand ambassador.

But quickly the answer was negative and Pramac became «plan B».

Although negotiations were not broken off at any time, before the Italian Grand Prix all the signs from the team were that it was going to continue with Ducati.

But in Mugello Marquez’s refusal to sign for Pramac ended up being the deciding factor.

Ducati had reached an agreement with Martin to take him to the factory team and proposed to Pramac to create a second official structure to give shelter to Marquez, but this was a plan rejected by the eight-time world champion.

That changed everything, Ducati backed out of its deal with Martin, signed Marquez and Pramac made the decision to leave.

«We have been 20 years in MotoGP without Marquez, we can be without him next season,» Campinoti said at Mugello.

This weekend at Assen, taking advantage of the return to racing and the proximity to 30 June, which is the deadline Pramac has to renounce the agreement with Ducati for 2025 and 2026 without penalty, the Italian formation will officially announce that it is leaving Ducati at the end of the season.

Yamaha will then announce the agreement with Pramac.

Pending details, the agreement will be multi-year, first until the end of 2026, which is when the manufacturers’ contract with Dorna ends, and thereafter, with the entry of the new technical regulations in MotoGP, Pramac will enjoy a long-term contract to become a partner team with official Yamaha equipment, which will charge a reduced price for the bikes and pay the riders’ tab.

In that chapter, one of the bombshells of the summer could be the arrival of the Turkish World Superbike star Toprak Razgatlioglu, although to do so he will first have to get rid of his current contract with BMW.

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Martin manager expects Ducati to provide full support for rest of MotoGP 2024

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Jorge Martin’s manager says Ducati “now has the opportunity to demonstrate that it keeps intact those values it stands for” by fully supporting him in the 2024 MotoGP title fight.

Championship leader Martin will leave the Ducati stable at the end of the current season, after the marque went against its original plan to promote him to the factory team in 2025.

Ducati’s decision to promote Marc Marquez instead led to Martin signing a multi-year deal with Aprilia, where he will be joined by Marco Bezzecchi.

Martin leads the championship by 18 points coming into this weekend’s eighth round of the season in the Netherlands.

Racing with full factory machinery in Pramac colours, Martin’s impending exit to Ducati rival Aprilia has raised fears the Spaniard may no longer get the latest bike developments.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Martin’s manager Albert Valera said: “With Jorge, Ducati now has the opportunity to demonstrate that it keeps intact those values ​​that it stands for.

“Since Jorge signed with Ducati he has always received the treatment of an official rider, with an official motorcycle, and at all times he was given the same evolutions that the factory riders did.

“They always complied, and I trust that they will continue to do so — out of respect for the championship, their riders and all the Ducatistas (fans).”

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Ducati did continue to let Jack Miller test new items after it was announced that he would be joining KTM for the 2023 season.

However, the circumstances here are different, given the prospect of Martin taking the #1 plate to a direct rival having been passed over by Ducati in favour of Marquez.

Commenting on the events that led to Martin leaving Ducati for Aprilia, Valera added: “In Barcelona, ​​Ducati presented us with a scenario in which it could keep the three parties involved under its umbrella: Jorge, Pramac and Marquez.

“For a reason beyond our control and Pramac’s control, that idea was not possible and at that moment we understood that there were beginning to be doubts.

“The plan that was offered to him in Montmelo began to go wrong in Mugello, and he decided to take another path.”

Motorsport.com understands that Marquez’s refusal to take a factory bike at Pramac for 2025 ahead of the Italian GP shook Ducati management, especially CEO Claudio Domenicali.

With Martin initially told he would be getting the factory seat, this moment ultimately forced Ducati into its surprise U-turn.

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