What is expected in the Ducati chess for 2025 after the departure of Jorge Martín

Jorge Martín’s departure to Aprilia leaves some doubts about Ducati teams for the 2025 MotoGP season. Francesco Bagnaia is confirmed in the factory team, but everything else is officially open. Here we analyze potential scenarios.

Ducati Lenovo Team

• Francesco Bagnaia: Renewed until 2026
• Marc Márquez?
  • According to rumors from the global specialized press, Ducati may have already chosen Marc Márquez for the official team. Losing Martín, who is a more promising rider, only seems logical in the case of wanting to secure someone with the media coverage and track record of Marc Márquez. There is no confirmation yet, but everything seems to point in that direction. The Spaniard, it should be noted, wants a current bike in 2025 and rejected Pramac, so Ducati seems to be the only option to stay under the wing of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
• Enea Bastianini?
  • He is currently Bagnaia’s teammate, but even though he is having a solid season, his future is uncertain. If Ducati let Martín slip away – the 2023 runner-up and current championship leader – it seems unlikely that Bastianini, who is in fourth place and has not yet won a race in 2024, will be the choice.

🇮🇹 ItalianGP: 🥈🏆
I dedicate this podium to my beloved dog who passed away last week. 🐾❤️ pic.twitter.com/AjhtH3wH23

— Enea Bastianini (@Bestia23) June 2, 2024

Prima Pramac Racing

Ponto prévio: Ainda não é oficial que a Prima Pramac Racing continue a ser a equipa satélite da Ducati. O seu gestor Gino Borsoi deu como garantido a continuidade nas mesmas condições, mas a Ducati esclareceu que ainda não há um contrato formalmente assinado. O cenário que se segue é se tudo continuar como está.

• Fermín Aldeguer?
  • A jovem estrela do Moto2 assinou com a Ducati no passado mês de março, para subir ao MotoGP em 2025 numa equipa satélite com uma moto atual. Considerando que a Pramac tem sido a única equipa satélite com essas condições, então o passo lógico de Aldeguer é a estrutura de Paolo Campinoti.
• Franco Morbidelli?
  • The Italian arrived at Pramac this year. An injury at the end of January prevented him from participating in the preseason, and after all the lost preparation time, he is starting to show performance and results. Continuity seems logical, as the potential is there. However, the contract expires at the end of 2024 and has not been renewed yet.
• Enea Bastianini?
  • If he leaves the factory team, Bastianini has few options for an equivalent team that provides him with the same competitive conditions. A move to Pramac would be a setback in his factory rider status, but would guarantee conditions to continue fighting at the top and, who knows, return to Ducati in the future.
• Fabio Di Giannantonio or Marco Bezzecchi?
  • Both riders from Pertamina Enduro VR46 could be considered by Pramac. Neither has a contract for 2025 and both have been showing good potential: Di Giannantonio has finished every race this year in the top seven; Bezzecchi has had difficulties, but has already shown that he can fight at the top as he demonstrated with the third place finish in last year’s World Championship. The move from VR46 to Pramac would be an obvious step for either of them and for the team, if they continue with Ducati.

Gresini Racing

Positive weekend! 💪🏼We missed the podium but the feelings are very good!! Keep going!!✊🏼🔥

Positive weekend! We missed the podium but the feelings are very good!! #ItalianGP #MM93 pic.twitter.com/logbET5noA

— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) June 2, 2024

• Marc Márquez?
  • If Marc Márquez excluded Pramac, he did not do the same with Gresini. If he does not move to Ducati, could he stay where he is? It seems like an unlikely scenario considering he wants a current bike in 2025. Staying at Gresini would only be feasible under one of two situations: either Pramac stops being a satellite team of Ducati and at least one of the current bikes goes to Gresini; or Ducati expands to five current bikes.
• Álex Márquez?
  • Álex Márquez is also in the last year of his contract with Gresini. So far, he has not had bad performances: he is far from the reference that his brother Marc is, but his results are in line with riders like Di Giannantonio or Bezzecchi, in the middle of the table. Continuity would not be a surprise.
• Fermín Aldeguer?
  • Setting the seemingly unlikely scenario of Pramac leaving Ducati’s satellite team, Gresini could be a possible placement for the Spanish rider who, as mentioned above, is guaranteed a promotion to MotoGP on a current Desmosedici GP in 2025, in a satellite team.
• Fabio Di Giannantonio or Marco Bezzecchi?
  • It seems that there will be at least one spot to fill considering the highly likely move of Marc Márquez to Ducati. Would Di Giannantonio be interested in returning to Gresini after being overlooked at the end of 2023, almost running out of space in MotoGP? And would Bezzecchi be willing to leave the “family” that is VR46 to be in a team that offers him similar conditions? Or would it be a promotion indeed, if Pramac does not stay with Ducati and Gresini has access to one or two current bikes in 2025?
• Enea Bastianini?
  • If Bastianini leaves Ducati and Pramac switches to Yamaha, could Bastianini return to Gresini with a Desmosedici GP of the latest version in 2025? Once again, it would be a demotion, but there are few factory teams capable of offering competitive bikes immediately to the Italian, so it would be a demotion to continue fighting for top positions.

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team

Thank you very much Mugello! 🏁🇮🇹

Points in the bag, onto the next one! 😎@FabioDiggia49 @Marco12_B #ItalianGP #PertaminaEnduroVR46RacingTeam #MotoGP #MB72 #Diggia49 #VR46 pic.twitter.com/bJnKZfzya3

— Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team (@VR46RacingTeam) June 2, 2024

Ponto prévio: Assim como a Pramac, a VR46 ainda não garantiu formalmente a sua renovação com a Ducati para 2025, embora seja a sua prioridade manter tudo como está.

• Fabio Di Giannantonio?
  • The Italian arrived this year as a last-minute option. However, he has adapted well, with his worst result being a top ten finish and consistently outperforming his teammate Marco Bezzecchi: he currently has 29 more points than Bezzecchi. It would be logical for him to continue, unless more enticing opportunities arise.
• Marco Bezzecchi?
  • After finishing third in the World Championship last year, Bezzecchi has the credentials to stay with VR46 or move to a project that offers better conditions – despite a difficult start with the challenging adaptation to the Desmosedici GP23, he has shown signs of improvement with a third place finish in the Spanish GP.
• Fermín Aldeguer?
  • Once again, we talk about Aldeguer in the event that Pramac does not continue alongside Ducati. In that case, it would be unclear where the two current Desmosedici GP bikes would go – whether both to Gresini, both to VR46, or one to each. Aldeguer was reportedly one of the options considered by VR46 for 2024 before Di Giannantonio’s strong argument with his victory in last year’s Qatar GP.
• Enea Bastianini?
  • In the logic of Pramac ceasing to be a satellite team of Ducati and a fair redistribution of the current Ducati among the other two satellite teams, it might not be excluded the arrival of Bastianini to VR46 – if, of course, the departure of the factory team is confirmed.

Other riders

🚦LIGHTS OUT in #MotoGP🚦@PeccoBagnaia on rocket mode! 🚀#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/eQQ5IeWeZG

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) June 2, 2024

So far, we have only mentioned riders who are already in the Ducati teams and Aldeguer who has a contract signed for 2025. However, the rider market is dynamic and other possibilities may open up for the Ducati teams. Here are some possibilities.

• Álex Rins?
  • When moving to Yamaha, the Spaniard signed for one year (2024). The Iwata manufacturer shows signs of progress. But could the rider decide to leave and join a more appealing project in a Ducati team? It seems more logical to give Yamaha the possibility of a second year, if the manufacturer also wants it.
• Jack Miller?
  • With no chances in the KTM factory team, Miller has already stated that he is looking for a job for 2025. This could involve Red Bull GasGas Tech3, but it may not be the only option. Would the Australian be open to returning to a satellite team with Ducati – perhaps Pramac, which he already knows so well?
• Joan Mir?
  • At the end of his contract with Repsol Honda, the frustration of the Spaniard is evident. The RC213V is still far from being a bike capable of fighting for good results. There are rumors that Mir may even be considering retirement. But a possibility with Ducati, even if in a satellite team, could be seen favorably by the Mallorcan.
• Maverick Viñales?
  • In one of the best phases of his career with Aprilia, it does not seem likely that Viñales will accept to move to a satellite team. So, if logic prevails, we should only see the Spaniard with Ducati if it is in the official team.
• Miguel Oliveira?
  • Before joining the Aprilia satellite team for 2023, Oliveira was linked to Gresini. The move did not materialize, but the door was not closed for the future either. Could the rider have a chance with Ducati if he does not renew with Trackhouse Racing? Additionally, MotoSprint wrote last week that there may be discussions with Pramac. These seem like appealing options for Oliveira, but the Portuguese rider will have to convince the teams of his worth, as his results and performances in 2024 so far have fallen short of expectations, even his own.