One of the crucial decisions shaping the future of MotoGP revolves around Prima Pramac Racing. The team faces a choice: renew their contract with Ducati for another two years or become Yamaha’s satellite team after a long-standing partnership with the Borgo Panigale manufacturer. This decision will significantly impact the rider market.
From a sporting perspective, Ducati offers the best immediate conditions. However, financially, Yamaha seems to have numerous advantages. According to MotoSprint, Yamaha would cover the riders’ salaries, provide bikes identical to the factory team’s, and accommodate the riders’ requests.
But that’s not all. Speculation suggests that Yamaha has four million euros to contribute to the budget of any team that agrees to be their satellite. Since the end of 2022, Yamaha has only had its factory team and two bikes on the grid, which is seen as a disadvantage in development due to the lack of a comparable rival situation.
However, switching from Ducati to Yamaha isn’t as straightforward as it might seem, even considering the reportedly better conditions offered. Beyond the impact on the team personnel, sponsors expect the team to ride the competitive Ducati bikes. Yamaha might promise a brighter future, but current facts are what matter. And the current facts show a YZR-M1 that is far from regularly fighting for podiums, unlike the Desmosedici GP.
From a sporting immediate perspective, the change appears illogical. Despite not having as lucrative an offer as Yamaha’s, Ducati has always prioritized Pramac as its satellite team, ensuring access to some of the best available riders over the years, such as Francesco Bagnaia, Jack Miller, and now Jorge Martín.
It’s true that missing out on the chance to have Martín or Marc Márquez for 2025 might cause some discomfort. However, when riders are out of contract and aspire to be in a factory team, there’s little Ducati could do to place them in Pramac. Fermín Aldeguer, a rising star, is in line to follow the paths of Bagnaia or Martín.
On the other hand, Pramac cannot claim to be prevented from fighting for titles. The team was the champion of the teams’ championship last season and contended for the riders’ title with Martín until the end. Martín, who currently leads the championship, competes on par with factory team rivals like Bagnaia.
While Pramac may have the opportunity to fight directly with Yamaha’s factory team, the positions at stake could be significantly more modest – at least initially. There are no present guarantees that Yamaha will indeed return to regularly competing for top spots, adding to the uncertainty of the future.
For sure Ducati may not keep this level of performance forever, as sports are made of cycles. In fact, who would have bet about a decade ago that they would get here? But in a world where immediate results matter, betting on uncertainty is always riskier. Sometimes risks pay off… but not always, and this always carries weight when making important decisions.