Ducati finally opted to retain Marquez rather than give Martin the factory team ride, with the championship leader switching to Aprilia for 2025.
These moves will have a decisive influence on the future plans of Pramac, who is seriously considering giving up competing with the Ducati bike, with whom it has been a satellite partner since 2005, to satisfy Yamaha’s wishes.
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The Japanese manufacturer has been regretting for two years not having renewed its agreement with RNF, which caused it to lose two of the four M1s it had on track.
That decision, in the current context of the championship, in which Ducati has managed to make a difference thanks to the amount of data it collects and analyses from its eight Desmosedici, had a huge impact on the results of the Iwata-based team, which is going through one of the worst moments in its modern history.
It is currently second to last in the manufacturers’ table, only ahead of Honda, and it is 10th in the teams’ standings out of 11.
Unlike HRC, Yamaha is moving in new directions. It has brought in Max Bartolini in technical management and Marco Nicotra in aerodynamics, both signed from Ducati.
Despite the new approach they are bringing, and the new working dynamics introduced, both would appreciate being able to double the number of prototypes from which to analyse information.
Lin Jarvis, the top executive of the Japanese company’s sports division, will leave his post at the end of this year.
The Briton set himself two objectives before stepping aside. The first, achieved before the start of the season, was to renew Fabio Quartararo.
Franco Morbidelli, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The second was to bring back the satellite formation: “It would be the best thing for the championship and also for Yamaha,” acknowledged Jarvis himself, in a conversation with Motorsport.com in Austin. “I would say we will have an answer around Mugello,” anticipated the manager.
Motorsport.com understands that it was precisely in Texas, and without Jarvis having a direct impact on the matter, where relations between Pramac and Ducati began to become seriously strained.
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Campinoti, the owner of the Pramac team, has in his hand the possibility of extending two more years the agreement with which it would maintain its status as the only team with factory support from Ducati.
However, Ducati, in its eagerness to contain spending in MotoGP, which has skyrocketed again, considers that there are more interesting options. The most seductive would place VR46 in Pramac’s place.
That is precisely what bothers Campinoti, who believes he does not deserve such treatment from Ducati, after so many years of struggle when the results did not come out as they do now.
“The risk of losing Pramac is real,” confirmed Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati’s general manager, at the end of last week, speaking to Sky.
During the last Italian Grand Prix, Pramac team manager Gino Borsoi took it for granted that his team would keep those two GP25s, but Ducati sporting director Mauro Grassilli made it clear just a few hours later that Pramac had not yet officially executed that clause.
“We have worked hard since the beginning of the season with the intention of continuing for two more years, but we still don’t have the written confirmation. We want it as soon as possible,” Grassilli commented.
Motorsport.com understands that the contract renewal between the two parties is automatic, and that Pramac should only inform Ducati of a decision in the case that it wants to break it before the end of July. And given Campinoti’s anger, it would not be surprising if he waited until the last minute to reveal his plans to Ducati.
At this point, after Martin has tied his future to Aprilia and without overlooking Campinoti’s weariness, it would not surprise anyone that the possibility of accepting Yamaha’s proposal has taken much more weight than that of continuing with Ducati.
Retaining the GP25 would mean the obligation to make a significant investment, without being able to fight for podiums, victories and titles, as has been the case up to now: the farewell of #89 would mean having to look for a replacement rider to partner Fermin Aldeguer, who will make his debut in MotoGP next year.
Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
With such a scenario, it is not surprising that there are those who consider that the investment has a certain risk.
On the contrary, the need forces Yamaha to offer much more advantageous conditions in all aspects, although the time to say ‘yes’ is now.
For its part, VR46 has changed its strategy. Until a couple of months ago, Uccio Salucci claimed his desire to assume a more prominent role within the Ducati spectrum.
Now, discretion has become the rule, as both Salucci and Pablo Nieto, the team manager of the Tavullia-based team, know that time and the existing tensions are on their side.
