It has finally happened. Marc Marquez is going to be a Ducati factory rider next season as the six-time MotoGP world champion signed a two-year deal. The entire saga was nothing short of a soap opera between Ducati, Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez. The epic media conference by Marquez at the Italian Grand Prix weekend turned the tide in his favour. Unfortunately for Martin, it was a case of so close yet so far as he was about to be confirmed by Ducati, but the deal fell through. With so many moving components in play, we take a look at the ripple effect of this decision and see where which racer lands next year.
Marc Marquez: All roads lead to Ducati
To say that Enea Bastianini’s place in Ducati is the most coveted seat this season is a major understatement. After a tizzy rollercoaster ride, Ducati Corse has finally confirmed that Marc Marquez will be a Desmosedici rider next season. The Spaniard elbowed out the current championship leader Jorge Martin for the seat. Marquez, currently with a Gresini rider, has not yet won a grand prix this season, but keeping in mind that his Ducati motorcycle is a 2023 model, the Spaniard sits third in the rider’s championship table and only 35 points behind Martin.
After the announcement, Luigi Dall’Igna, General Manager of Ducati Corse said, “Deciding on Bagnaia’s new teammate in the Ducati Lenovo Team was not easy, as we had a list of very strong riders to choose from. In the end, our choice fell on an unquestionable talent like Marc Marquez. In just a few races, he has managed to adapt perfectly to our Desmosedici GP, and his innate ambition pushes him to grow continuously. In the box, we will have two riders who together hold 11 World Titles, and being able to count on their experience and maturity will be invaluable for our growth as well.”
According to media reports, Martin, who is currently with Ducati’s satellite team, Pramac, was in pole to secure the factory team’s seat. Ducati’s master plan was to keep both Martin and Marquez in their fold, either in the factory team or with Pramac. Unfortunately for Ducati, a certain Marquez threw a curve ball and announced at a media conference that he was only looking for a factory team seat and Pramac was not an option.
In the end, all’s well that ends well and after officially confirming that Marquez will be Francesco Bagnia’s teammate, the Spaniard said, “I am very happy to be able to wear the red colours of the factory Ducati team in MotoGP next season. Basically, from the first contact with the Desmosedici GP, I enjoyed riding it and adapted well straight away. From that moment on, I knew that my goal was to continue this path, to continue to grow, and to move to the team where Francesco Bagnaia has been the World Champion for two years in a row. I am happy to be able to take this big step in 2025 and grateful for the trust Ducati has placed in me.”
Jorge Martin replaces Espargaro in Aprilia
The last ten days have been quite a bitter experience for Jorge Martin. The Pramac rider was on the verge of signing on the dotted line for the Ducati Corse, but at the last minute, Dall’Igna pulled the rug under his feet. Martin created a new lap record at the Mugello Circuit and stormed to pole. Unfortunately, that was the only highlight for the Pramac rider in the Italian Grand Prix as he crashed out in the Sprint and managed to finish third on race day.
As the writing was on the wall for Martin, a day after the race, Aprilia Racing announced that they have signed the Spaniard for a multi-year contract with them from 2025.
Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO, said, “A path of unstoppable growth, Jorge is a building block to reach the goal we are all looking for with great hunger at Aprilia Racing. Thanks to Dr Michele Colaninno for this opportunity, we spoke last night and without wasting any time we made the decision.” Even though the current Aprilia rider, Maverick Vinales, has yet to decide his future, Rivola is hopeful that he will remain with the team for 2025.
Enea Bastianini: The Forgotten Man
Enea Bastianini’s two years at Ducati Corse have been far from a dream ride. The Italian did show glimpses of brilliance as he overtook Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin in the last couple of laps at Mugello to snatch second place. After the race, it was reported that Bastianini will be heading to KTM next season.
Currently, the Ducati rider is fourth in the championship with 114 points. In 2025, KTM plans to radically change its strategy as CEO Stefan Pierer will oversee both the factory and the satellite team, Tech3. Hence, both the racing teams are expected to get factory-spec motorcycles next year. Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta will race for KTM while Bastianini will join Tech3.