Метка: Pramac Racing

Ducati says Pramac hasn’t confirmed its 2025 MotoGP deal yet

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On Friday at the Italian Grand Prix, Pramac team boss Gino Borsoi told DAZN that his squad will be the only satellite structure with factory Ducatis in 2025.

This comes after Marc Marquez, who looks like he will be passed over in favour of Jorge Martin for the factory team Ducati seat, told the media on Thursday that racing for Pramac in 2025 is “not an option”.

As it stands, if Pramac activates its contract with Ducati for 2025 it will have exclusive factory support for the next two years.

For Marquez, staying at Ducati hinges on moving to the factory team or staying at Gresini with a factory bike, otherwise he may switch manufacturer altogether – with an offer on the table from KTM a possibility.

Speaking to motogp.com on Saturday morning, Grassilli is happy to hear Borsoi wants to continue with Ducati amid rumours it could switch to Yamaha, but says nothing has been officially confirmed.

“As I told you before, we’ve worked a lot from the beginning of the season to have Pramac for the next two years,” he said.

“Of course we are very happy for what Gino said yesterday. We have not yet had the confirmation written, we are looking forward to having it as soon as possible.”

Gino Borsoi, Pramac Racing

Gino Borsoi, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Grassilli did not rule out the possibility of there being five GP25s on the grid in 2025, with Marquez getting the fifth at Gresini, but says it’s not an option the time being.

“I will answer you at the end of the year, because honestly speaking we want to concentrate on this race, this weekend. We don’t know yet, honestly speaking,” he added.

“In this moment, it is not on the table this option.”

Ducati told Motorsport.com earlier this week that it would not make its announcement on its final factory team line-up for 2025 at Mugello.

Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Thursday that Ducati’s decision had been made and 2023 runner-up and current championship leader Martin will step up.

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Pramac insists it will have factory Ducati MotoGP bikes amid Marquez shun

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On Thursday ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, reports emerged that Ducati has decided to promote Jorge Martin to its factory team for 2025.

While initially it looked like it lead to Marquez moving to Pramac to take a factory bike, the six-time MotoGP world champion complicated the situation by stating the team is “not an option for him”.

Marquez later acknowledged that his plans to stay at Ducati were either remaining at Gresini on a factory bike or stepping up to the factory team.

Pramac has a contract for 2025/2026 that guarantees it exclusive works support from Ducati, should it wish to execute that option.

And Borsoi, speaking to DAZN, has moved to shut down the possibility of that deal being altered to allow Gresini to have a factory bike for Marquez in 2025.

“We have a lot of respect for an eight-time world champion, I can only say that Pramac is a great team, we are a great family and every year we do even better work,” Borsoi said.

“In 2023 we made history and won the team championship, the first time we had done so as a privateer, we were fighting for the world championship and this year Jorge Martin is leading the championship and we have a new opportunity every time we go out on the track to be a better team.

“We have the two official Ducati and next year we will continue the same.”

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

It is not clear if Pramac has moved to activate its contract for 2025/2026 with Ducati or if this is merely posturing in a bid to force Marquez’s hand.

Pramac also has an offer from Yamaha to become its satellite team from 2025. Should that come to pass, it would open the door for Gresini to have factory machinery in 2025.

Ducati is yet to comment on the situation with its satellite teams for 2025 or on Marquez’s remarks from Thursday.

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“It’s not an option for me”

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


This comes following reports this morning, first from Gazzetta dello Sport, that Ducati has decided to promote Jorge Martin to its factory team seat for 2025.

Ducati had already outlined this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix as the place to make its decision, though said earlier this week that it wouldn’t make an announcement.

Over the last few rounds it has become clear that the battle for the seat alongside double world champion Francesco Bagnaia was between Martin and Marquez.

While championship leader Martin has only strengthened his claims this year after finishing runner-up in the standings in 2023, Marquez’s form on the Gresini-run GP23 has complicated Ducati’s decision.

Martin has insisted that his future at Ducati hinged on a factory team seat, but Marquez’s speed in 2024 after just six rounds coupled with his marketing might made the former possibility far from certain.

With Martin nearing signing the deal to be promoted to the factory team, the next move for Ducati is convincing Marquez to take a factory bike at Pramac for 2025.

However, speaking to DAZN, Marquez has ruled out this possibility: «Ducati has not told me that I am not the chosen one.

“I am doing my best on the track, because then I will have more options.

«Pramac is a good team, but it is not an option for me, because it is not.

“I am a man with clear ideas. What I want is the latest version of the motorcycle, and if possible, with an official team.

“If you have the official motorcycle you have more support, and if on top of that you do it with an official team, then still more.”

Marquez had initially made it clear that joining Pramac was not his preferred choice, but had appeared to soften to this idea in recent weeks, given it would still mean having a factory bike.

Marquez is thought to have received a tempting offer from the Pierer Mobility Group (KTM/GasGas) for 2025, but it remains unclear at this stage if the six-time MotoGP world champion really would walk away from Ducati to try to adapt to a second new bike in as many years.

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Why Marquez is the key to Pramac’s continuation with Ducati in MotoGP

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Pramac has until the summer to unilaterally validate the agreement that would allow it to remain the only team with full factory support from Ducati in 2025 and 2026. Renewing the agreement would maintain its current conditions, so that the two riders in its line-up would be hired directly by the Bologna factory, and both would have the latest generation of Desmosedici that are identical to those of the two riders in the official workshop.

That privileged position, which currently gives access to the best bikes on the grid, was in danger of being blown to bits when Yamaha entered the scene. In the Japanese manufacturer’s eagerness to regain the satellite team it has not had since the end of 2022, it presented Pramac owner Paolo Campinoti with a very tempting offer.

After being turned down by VR46, which had always been Yamaha’s first choice as a future partner, the Iwata-based company entered into negotiations with Pramac. A member of the Japanese team, who expects an answer around the Italian GP at Mugello, told told Motorsport.com at Le Mans: «Our first alternative was always VR46, but we couldn’t convince them. So plan B is Pramac, and we hope they will accept the offer we have made them.» 

Pramac has, on the one hand, the possibility of continuing with Ducati in 2025-26 with a deadline on this decision expiring in July. The benefits offered by the Yamaha route are interesting for a satellite team, but the sporting aspect detracts a lot considering the M1 package’s current lack of competitiveness.

The competition between Pramac and VR46 to become Ducati’s preferred team was the main reason why Campinoti sat down to listen to Yamaha’s offer. He has been seriously considering it, understanding that he will struggle to keep the current agreement conditions with Ducati beyond 2026.

Could Campinoti end Pramac's relationship with Ducati to join forces with Yamaha?

Could Campinoti end Pramac’s relationship with Ducati to join forces with Yamaha?

Photo by: Mark Sutton

Another factor that jeopardises the Ducati relationship that made Pramac the best team in 2023, plus Jorge Martin the runner-up and current leader of the championship, is the Italian manufacturer’s firm decision to reduce spending on the salaries of its riders. The signing of Fermin Aldeguer for 2025, with a base salary of around €300,000, is the maximum exponent of this philosophy.

The change paints a discouraging picture for Campinoti, who saw himself in 2025 with Franco Morbidelli and Aldeguer, as Martin looks set to move to a factory squad next year.

Until last week, Campinoti’s chances were 50/50 between staying with Ducati or leaving for Yamaha. But something happened at Le Mans that has raised it to almost 95% to staying with the Borgo Panigale squad.

With Ducati’s new salary policy and with Bagnaia renewed until 2026, Ducati only has the budget to pay two high salaries

Marc Marquez, who is in his first season racing on a Ducati for the Gresini team and who has needed only five races to reach the competitive level of Martin and world champion Francesco Bagnaia (both on factory bikes) despite riding a 2023 machine, left Jerez two weeks ago saying that next year he wanted to ride for a factory team, and that red was his preferred choice.

«Pramac is a good team, but it is not official,» he said at the time.

In France, however, the Spaniard changed his stance, opening the door to race in a satellite squad, as long as he could have the best material and support from a factory.

«As I am competitive, it is clear that next year I want to try to have the latest evolution available,» he said on Sunday, having charged from 13th on the grid to second place in both races. «Whatever bike and whatever colour it is, but the latest specification.»

Ducati has already informed Campinoti that it is working on the possibility of adding Marquez to the rider roster (at present he is only under contract with Gresini), and giving him a top bike. This has changed the scenery overnight.

Marc Marquez wants a factory bike and Pramac could be the perfect scenario for Ducati

Marc Marquez wants a factory bike and Pramac could be the perfect scenario for Ducati

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

There is only enough budget for one more rider

With Ducati’s new salary policy and with Bagnaia renewed until 2026, Ducati only has the budget to pay two high salaries: that of the current champion, with a base of around €6 million, and that of his future garage neighbour. At only 26 years of age and with a salary — paid by Ducati — just under €4 million, Martin is not willing to lower his demands now that he is at the peak of his career.

The Madrid-born rider has already informed the executives of the red bikes that after the Italian GP on 2 June, if he does not have the contract with the official team on the table, he will sit down with KTM. The Austrian marque has already shown interest in getting him back, following their stint together in Moto2.

For Marquez, joining the factory team would mean having to give up most of his personal sponsors, since they conflict with many of those of Ducati’s factory squad. What he would improve in salary he would lose with his sponsors, some of them important agreements and with many years of relationship, such as Red Bull, Oakley or Allianz.

Having done the maths and with general manager Gigi Dall’Igna’s promise to offer the same treatment as the two official riders, Marquez’s change of stance at Le Mans could very well respond to this reflection. Moreover, if we understand that Martin will only consider staying at Ducati if it is in the factory garage, the only formula the Italian manufacturer has to keep the two Spaniards is that. Otherwise, either #89 or #93 will be welcomed by a rival brand.

Yamaha can’t find a dance partner

The big loser in this puzzle is Yamaha. The return to having a satellite team it lost at the end of 2022 by not extending its agreement with RNF, which aligned with Aprilia, was one of the arguments that the struggling Japanese marque used to encourage 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo to renew until the end of 2026.

VR46’s refusal does not leave much room for manoeuvre. Plan B is Pramac, from which it expects an answer at Mugello.

«There is no plan C,» an executive of the Gerno di Lesmo-based team told Motorsport.com. «We are hopeful that Pramac will accept our offer, which is very interesting. Otherwise we don’t have an alternative in mind.»

With all the above in mind, it would not be unreasonable to think that Yamaha will be forced to continue in 2025 with only its two factory M1s on the grid. That will be despite the efforts of team boss Lin Jarvis, who wanted to leave his post with the two main objectives of his final seasons — Quartararo’s contract renewal and the recovery of a satellite squad — completed.

Yamaha is facing another season without a satellite team

Yamaha is facing another season without a satellite team

Photo by: Marc Fleury

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Martin «doesn’t have anything to demonstrate» to Ducati after French GP win

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Martin emerged on top in an epic battle with fellow Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez to win the French Grand Prix, extending his lead in the championship to 38 points after five rounds.

The win on Sunday completed a perfect weekend for the Spaniard, who topped practice on Friday, claimed pole position in qualifying and grabbed maximum points from the sprint race on Saturday.

The result couldn’t have come at a better time for the Pramac rider, with Ducati currently evaluating whether to promote him to the factory team next year in place of incumbent Enea Bastianini or sign six-time champion Marquez instead.

But Martin thinks his current performances will have no bearing on where he rides next year, as he feels his past results are already enough to justify a place along Bagnaia next year.

“I don’t think I have anything to demonstrate,” he said following his success at Le Mans.

“About my future, I can say that the things that will happen in the next races won’t change. Even if I win, even if I crash, I already did what I had to do and I am really happy about my performance.

Pressed further if his win on Sunday sent a big message to Ducati, he said: “For sure, it’s important I think, maybe it’s clearer. But I think it won’t change.

Photo by: Marc Fleury

“I am the same rider as yesterday, same rider as Thursday. If they have to take a decision they already have [enough to] choose, and whatever it is it will be good.

“I really want to go to the Ducati factory team but if they don’t want me for whatever reason that we don’t know, then I will give my talent to other people.”

Martin celebrated his triumph over Marquez and Bagnaia by smashing the visor on his GP24, with the broken glass falling on track as he approached the opening turn on the cool-down lap.

The 26-year-old admitted that he did have some doubts about his abilities going into the race, but was elated to showcase himself that he is currently the best rider in the field.

“All the riders have some doubts before starting a race,” he said. “I know I’m strong but sometimes I have too many doubts. Maybe I don’t know how good I am.

«When I crossed the finish line I was like, ‘who is the number 1? who is the number 1?’.”

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Martin beats Marquez and Bagnaia in nail-biter

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Having dominated the sprint race on Saturday, Martin converted pole to a second grand prix victory of the 2024 season to open up a lead of 38 points in the championship.

Shadowing the factory Ducati of Bagnaia for much of the 27-lap contest, Martin made his decisive move on the 21st tour to take the lead.

Resisting immense pressure from Bagnaia over the final few laps, Martin’s victory was assured on the final tour when Marquez – who started 13th – moved into second at Turn 9.

Martin took the chequered flag 0.446 seconds clear of Marquez, with Bagnaia third, while Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini recovered from a long lap penalty to fourth ahead of Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales.

Following his bike woes that ruled him out of the sprint on Saturday, Bagnaia nailed the launch of the line to grab the holeshot from Martin and Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.

Marquez made another solid start from 13th on the grid to get up to eighth after the opening corners.

Bagnaia and Martin quickly put a few tenths between themselves and the battle for third, which was headed by Espargaro before VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio passed him at Turn 8 on lap 10.

Espargaro quickly found himself swamped by team-mate Vinales and then Marquez, with the latter two swapping places on lap 14.

Marquez moved his Gresini Ducati ahead of Di Giannantonio at the Dunlop chicane at the start of lap 17, with the latter running through the chicane trying to defend third and earning himself a long lap penalty.

Bagnaia and Martin held a two-second gap over Marquez, whose pace was better at this phase of the race then theirs.

That gap shrunk to 1.3s at the start of lap 20 when Martin made his first attempt on Bagnaia’s lead at the Dunlop chicane, but couldn’t make the move stick.

When Martin finally found his way through on the reigning world champion on the following lap – again at Dunlop – Marquez was just 0.8s behind.

Marquez quickly got onto the rear of the lead battle and the trio broke away from Vinales behind, who would come under pressure from Bastianini late on.

Martin gave Bagnaia a sniff at retaking the lead at Dunlop on lap 25 when he ran deep, but the Pramac rider held firm.

He led onto the final lap and kept the door shut to Bagnaia, whose chances were ended when Marquez scythed past on the brakes into Turn 9.

This blew Martin’s lead up to 0.446s while Marquez ensured Bagnaia had no way to strike back as they took the chequered flag.

Bastianini was handed a long lap penalty for cutting the Turn 9/10 chicane when passing Espargaro for sixth on the 12th tour.

Quickly serving the penalty, Bastianini fought back to fourth ahead of Vinales and Di Giannantonio after the VR46 rider’s violation.

Franco Morbidelli was seventh on the second Pramac Ducati, marking his best grand prix result in 2024.

Brad Binder was eighth having started last on the factory KTM, with Espargaro and Gresini’s Alex Marquez rounding out the top 10.

The final points went to Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez, LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco, Tech3 GasGas rider Augusto Fernandez, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR) and Yamaha’s Alex Rins.

Luca Marini was the final classified runner in 16th on his factory Honda, with team-mate Joan Mir crashing out.

Home hero Fabio Quartararo was running inside the top eight when he fell off his Yamaha at Turn 9 on lap 17.

VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi registered his second race crash of the weekend when he slid out of seventh at Turn 6 on lap four, while Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta went down on the previous tour.

KTM’s Jack Miller and Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira also failed to make the finish.

MotoGP French GP — Race results:



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Martin’s 2024 MotoGP form giving him “some power” in contract talks

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Qualifying on pole with a new Le Mans lap record, Martin converted that to a dominant third sprint win of the 2024 season.

With Francesco Bagnaia retiring with bike issues and his factory Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini only fourth, Martin is now 28 points clear in the championship.

This all comes as Martin’s 2025 future remains uncertain, with Ducati’s decision between him, Marc Marquez and Bastianini set for the Italian GP at the end of the month.

Earlier this week, Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna told motogp.com that the marque has to “consider all of their history, not just 2024”.

Asked if he considers himself the leading Ducati rider right now, Martin responded: “Well, I don’t know. I am the leader [of the championship] so I guess till now I was the strongest.”

He added: “I think at the end of the season [is when I’ll start to think about the championship].

“For sure it’s important to be in the lead, but I think it will be interesting when we have the chance to win the championship.

“Till that moment, there is no sense to look at it. It’s nice. Since Portimao it was [that I’ve been leading], so more than one month being in the lead.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“This means we are the strongest, this means also some power for contracts. I’m happy to be in the lead.”

While feeling confident going into Sunday’s grand prix, Martin admits Pramac has to find something to improve front edge grip after it proved worse in the sprint than expected.  

“So far, a perfect weekend,” he said.

“I am super happy. I think we did an amazing performance to the sprint. Tomorrow will be interesting to understand where we are on Sundays, but you also score points on Saturday, so it’s super important to be fast.

“I am confident, I think we have some good information for tomorrow’s race because I didn’t feel as [good] as this morning on the front.

“I was losing a bit on the edge grip, it was much less than this morning.”

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MotoGP points leader Martin has no answer for «strange» Spanish GP crash

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Pramac rider Martin had seized the early advantage at the Jerez circuit on Sunday, having passed both polesitter Marc Marquez and factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia in the opening two laps of the grand prix.

Circulating almost a second clear of the chasing pack led by his 2023 title rival Bagnaia on the 11th lap, Martin suddenly lost the front of his Ducati GP24 under braking for Turn 6 and hit the ground, suffering his first retirement of 2024.

The DNF shrunk his championship lead to just 17 points, as Bagnaia capitalised on the mistake to clinch his first victory since the Qatar opener and move up to second in the championship.

Speaking afterwards with the media, Martin was perplexed by a crash that came without warning while he was managing his pace at the front of the field.

«For sure [it was] a strange crash,» he said. «I will look a little bit into it. I was exactly at the same speed and I braked at the same point [as previous laps].

«So it’s a bit strange, we need to understand a bit more on the details.

«I was trying to be constant on that pace, 1m37.9, 38.0. It was a decent pace to keep the lead at that point of the race, trying to save a bit the rear tyre for the end. I was focused and confident.

«For sure, I didn’t expect to crash in that pace because I was really early into the corner, I was really straight. We need to understand to not repeat it again.»

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

He added: «Maybe there was some corners where I was risking a bit more, but corner six wasn’t one of them. I was trying to be constant, I was braking always at the same point. So we need to understand where and improve for the future.»

Several riders were penalised for running lower tyre pressures in Saturday’s sprint, which was won by Martin.

But the Spanish rider doesn’t think tyre pressure had anything to do with his crash in the grand prix, as he and Pramac continue to chase answers for the «strange» incident.

«We went a bit higher than yesterday so I was already in on the second lap. I’ve been in front. I think it wasn’t a thing of the pressure. I still didn’t understand the crash.»

Martin’s exit elevated Bagnaia to the lead of the race, with the factory Ducati rider resisting immense pressure from Gresini’s Marquez in the final laps to take an epic win in his rival’s home ground.

Bagnaia set a best time of 1m37.449s en route to his third successive MotoGP win at Jerez, having also won at the Spanish track in 2022 and ’23.

Martin hinted that he wouldn’t have been able to match the pace of Bagnaia had he made it to finish in the 25-lap contest.

«I saw 0.2 on the pitboard and I saw he was struggling a little bit,» said the 26-year-old. «But I was trying to always keep the same pace. It’s not that I pushed a bit more.

«But today Pecco was, I saw afterwards at the track, he was outstanding. His pace was amazing. I didn’t feel like I had [1m]37.4, maybe 37.6, 37.7. I could do it, but not 37.4, that’s for sure.»

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Martin admits he is unlikely to stay with Pramac MotoGP team beyond 2024

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The 26-year-old made his MotoGP debut with Pramac in 2021 and has been a part of its roster ever since, enjoying the privilege of factory machinery.

Had he won the 2023 MotoGP title, he would have gained automatic promotion to the Ducati factory team for this season in place of Enea Bastianini.

With his future at Pramac already in doubt beyond this year, as the 2023 championship runner-up eyes a factory team switch, Martin made his clearest comment yet on the matter on Thursday at the Americas Grand Prix.

Asked about a potential tie-up between Yamaha and Pramac for 2025, Martin said: “Well, it’s the first I’ve heard of this.

“Well, at the moment I am more attached to Ducati than with Pramac. And it’s been like this for my MotoGP career.

“My priority, everybody knows what that is. Let’s wait, it’s still early.

“But I don’t know. I hope to move to a factory team. So, even if Pramac changed [manufacturer] I think I won’t stay here.”

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

This comment comes a month on from Pramac team boss Gino Borsoi telling Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview that he felt Martin’s time with the squad “like it or not has come to a bit of an end”.

Ducati’s management has also noted on numerous occasions that it feels Martin deserves a factory seat with the Italian brand.

With reigning double world champion Francesco Bagnaia renewed for two more years ahead of the 2024 campaign, the final factory team seat looks set to be hotly contested, with Martin a key figure in this race.

Following Ducati signing a two-year deal with Moto2 star Fermin Aldeguer – who is expected to race for Borsoi’s team – in March Motorsport.com reported that Pramac does have escape clause in its contract with the Italian brand.

It is understood Pramac has been in touch with Yamaha and KTM, and could leave Ducati if it receives a suitable offer.

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