Mugello, 3 June 2024 – Ducati close to choosing to support one of Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin in Pecco Bagnaia. The decision appears to have been made, that is, to replace Aeneas Bastianini, and the duel between the two Spaniards could see the eight-time world champion win. Ducati’s initial idea, as Gazzetta had underlined before the Mugello weekend, was to include Marquez in the Prima Pramac team with a 2025 bike and Jorge Martin in the official team, as per his request. But the driver from Cervera, immediately consulted on the Thursday of the Italian Grand Prix, closed down any hypothesis: “Pramac is not an option, I have clear ideas”. What if Marquez he doesn’t go to Pramac, somehow we will have to try to keep him and all that remains is to include him in Lenovo alongside Bagnaia. Jorge Martintherefore, he risks seeing his dream of getting on the red bike fade away for the second time after he was defeated in the run-off with Bastianini in 2022 too.
Martin: “The rumors are distracting, I want to decide before Assen”
It was a difficult weekend mentally for Jorge Martin at Mugello. The voices and distractions about the future penalized him on Friday and only on Sunday did he calm down. In general, the Pramac rider wants to sign his new contract by Assen: whether it is with Ducati or KTM. In fact, if Martin If he weren’t chosen for the red bike, he would immediately decide to change brands, probably switching to the Austrians who had their sights set on him for some time. In just three days everything changed. Thursday the chosen one to replace Bastianini it was him, but Marquez he rejected the Pramac hypothesis and now he has become the favorite on the Lenovo team’s red bike. In any case, from now until June 28th, the date of Assen Friday, Martin he wants to arrive with a signature and a contract in his pocket. “It was a difficult weekend – his words – I couldn’t stay 100% focused on driving and in the end all the information that comes to you affects you. I suffered a lot on Friday.” The mission is now very clear: find a solution by Assen. Self Marquez will be the one chosen by Ducati, Martin will move and probably sign for KTM. In fact, Borgo Panigale risks losing two strong riders like Bastianini, close to Aprilia, and Martin: “My objective now is to close any discussion about the future – Martin again – My idea is to define the situation as soon as possible because at Mugello it is It was a difficult weekend off the track.” What perhaps seemed certain on Thursday, i.e. him in Lenovo, probably became almost impossible on Friday, when the prices of Marquez they went up: “In the end we took the weekend home, but I hope to resolve it soon. I want to arrive at Assen with a free mind and it will be important to have signed the new contract. Friday was complicated, then Saturday and Sunday went better and when you’re calmer the results come.”
