Compared to his 2023 as Bagnaia’s only real opponent and the first part of 2024 as leader many expected that Martin would get the official Ducati seat for next yearand instead, surprisingly, at the end of the Mugello race weekend and the collective test session on the same track, Aprilia revealed with a video that it had hired him as a replacement for Aleix Espargaro, who had just announced his retirement from MotoGP.
Speaking to the Paddock Abierto program, even an insider like Jorge Lorenzo was amazed by the choice of the Noale brand. “I didn’t expect Jorge’s signature, then it’s obvious that as a result it would be Marquez who would be promoted. I honestly believed that Marc would have accepted the move to Pramac with the GP25, but evidently he had more ambitious plans which also included 2026, and now we have discovered them. He played his cards in the best way“, commented the Majorcan.
For the Iberian, the driver from Cervera would have even upset boss Dall’Igna’s plans. “Gigi would have liked to hold them both back: Martin in red and Marquez in his place. The eight-time world champion had a different opinion, so he rejected the offer, threatening to leave. At that point, fearful of losing him, the management agreed“, the 37-year-old’s version, also convinced that the move to his compatriot’s factory team will have significant media coverage, especially in his homeland.
“Already seeing him fight for the victory again, as well as the presence of an emerging talent like Pedro Acosta in the group, was beneficial to the audience. We may not yet be at the level of the Valentino Rossi era, but his impact is notable. Considering that he is 32 years old, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer will have hypothesized a retirement in two or four seasons. The fact that it will probably happen with their colors has had an impact in the decision, without forgetting the results it is capable of bringing“, he continued in the analysis, then focusing on a non-secondary aspect, the tensions that a figure of that caliber could generate inside the garage.
“Pecco certainly didn’t want a teammate who was fast and capable of beating him. Not that Bastianini doesn’t have the ability, but Marc causes more anxiety“, he highlighted.
With a bike clearly superior to the competition, the Catalan will find himself facing a tough test. “There will be no more excuses for him. He has repeatedly denied particular differences between the GP24 and his GP23, however compared to his young rivals, he has had many injuries, so the only thing he can do is try to maintain his current level. However, if in 2019 Marc was three steps above Pecco, now, with the same speed, it is not a given that the Iberian can get the better of all the races“, he concluded by hypothesizing that the age and vicissitudes experienced by the former Honda could be felt negatively.
