Ducati has lost MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martin for the 2025 season. After losing a factory ride, he joined rival manufacturer Aprilia.
Ducati In the year In 2024 the almighty had a problem, opinions were divided in the paddock. They had to choose between the title-bound Martin and the legend Mark Marquez.
Marquez He joined satellite Ducati team Gresini in a shock decision to leave Honda at the end of 2023. Martin, meanwhile, rode for second-place Pramac.
Spain’s Francesco Bagnan took the honors at the season-ending Solidarity Grand Prix, competing for the championship. He became the first rider in the MotoGP era to take the title with a satellite outfit.
But Marquez was impressive on Gresini’s one-year-old bike. He finished third with two poles, three wins and 10 podiums.
Contractually with Bagnaya, there is only one seat for the two superstar drivers. Ducati went with Marquez, and the overwhelmed Martin decided to leave the garage.
Marco Melandri says he was told George Martin will get a factory Ducati seat.
to speak MotosanMarco Melandri says Ducati has put Martin in a ‘very difficult’ position. They told him he would get the factory seat, only to go back on their word after one race.
Melandri was surprised that the superiors in Bologna ignored Martin. At 26, his first year in the Premier League may still be ahead of him.
But he accepts the ‘special’ appeal of signing six times MotoGP Champion Marquez. That ‘name’ may have been the deciding factor in the end.
“From what I heard, George was told that he would be in the factory team for 2025, but after one race they changed their minds,” said the former rider. “It was a very difficult situation for him.
“Ducati has a complicated history with riders, as seen with (Casey) Stoner, (George) Lorenzo and others. I think we all expected George to make it to the factory team, given his age and results.
“However, I also understand that Marc Marquez is someone who brings something different to each race. He has a reputation for being unpredictable and carrying a lot of weight.
Ducati boss Luigi Daligna was able to get information from both riders before making a decision. Maybe it’s a marketing consideration, but few would argue that Marquez deserves a promotion in his own right.
Indeed, Dall’Igna saw something ‘amazing’ in Marquez’s telemetry Before signing the motion. After a recent injury nightmare, he looks set to win the world championship again.
Gresini’s staff was inspired by Marquez Almost immediately, and perhaps Dall’Igna anticipated the same result at Ducati. He has no immediate regrets, Martin and Epria are not expected to compete for the title this year.
Like Melandri, Pramac CEO Fonsi Nieto admits this Marquez has the pull of a ‘beast’.. This was enough to eventually even win the World Championship.
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