Ducati has elected to promote current MotoGP championship leader Jorge Martin to its works outfit for 2025, according to Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Ducati has been in a predicament over who should partner reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia, with Martin, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini under consideration.
Pramac rider Martin has landed three Sprint wins and two Grand Prix victories this season to open up a commanding 39-point lead over Bagnaia heading into Mugello.
Rumours had circulated that the announcement would be made over this weekend, but Ducati General Manager Gigi Dall’igna revealed that would not end up occurring.
But La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported Ducati “cannot afford to lose” Martin and cited his commitment to the marque, having been with the Pramac team since 2011.
The Italian outlet has stated that promoting Marquez to the factory squad would ruin the dynamic at Ducati and could see Bagnaia’s status as a leader “delegitimised”.
Marquez is rumoured to have attempted to put “significant pressure” on Ducati, with it now being touted that the multiple-time MotoGP champion could court Pramac.
The thought process from the Italian marque believes Marquez could find it hard to learn “from scratch on a new bike”, with the Spaniard turning 32 heading into 2025.
Replacing Martin at Pramac has been suggested as a possible option should Marquez desire a latest-spec GP25 bike next term alongside rookie rider Fermin Aldeguer
This weekend Ducati will change its livery from its iconic red to blue as part of a promotion to wear the Italian national sporting colours, with all staff members following suit.
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