The agreement ends any speculation that the Italian team could run sate♌llite 𒊎bikes for the likes of Yamaha or KTM, both currently seeking more grid places, in the near future.

“I would like to thank the whole Ducati f🎃amily as we’ll continue with them for the next two years; we already showed we are a good combination this year 𓆏as well as in 2022… so the goal is to continue to excite and be excited,” said team owner Nadia Padovani.

“We are delighted to continue to have the Gresini Racing MotoGP team in the Ducati family for two more seasons,” adde🍌d Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna. “They are an extremely professional outfit and, over the years, have shown that they have the potential to aspire to great results.

“Last year they scored four beautiful victories with our Desmosedici GP machine, and this season they clinched a podium, a pole position, and a win in the last 🌼GP Sprint with Alex Marquez. We are sure that together we will achieve more success in the future and continue to grow race by race.”

Marquez’s contract ext💯ension was s꧒een as a question of when not if.

The Spania♈rd swiftly put two dark seasons at LCR Honda behind him with a pole and podium in only his second event for Gresini. The former Moto2 world champion then celebrated his first MotoGP ‘win’ in Saturday’s wet Silverstone Sprint and was in contention for a dry🎃 Sunday podium until an early technical problem.

Other accidents and incidents have ruled Marquez out of three other grands prix this season, leaving him൩ ninth in the standin𒁏gs, but he has proven an effective replacement for Gresini’s four-time race winner Enea Bastianini.

“I’m very happy to continue with the team,” Marquez said. “I’ve always expressed tꦇhis desire of mine and when things go the right way it’s even easier to understand each other.

“To continue together for the next season is key in order to keep growing with this bike, and with this team everything is going to be easier. I would like to thank Nadia first and foremost, and then the whole team who made me feel at home from day one. We’ll keep growing a𒈔nd surprising.”

“Alex is first of all a wonderful person and it was a pleasure to welcome him in 𒁃our Gresini Family,” said Nadia Padovani. “The results speak for themselves and it was a logical step for us to continue together and raise the bar some ꧋more.

“He already scored a rꦑace win and a pole position in his debut year with Ducati, showing he could battle with the best from the get-go. We will now try to find some continuity together in the next season."

The identity of🉐 the second 2024 Gresini rider is&n𝓀bsp;less clear. 

Fabio di Giannantonio, 16th in the standings, currently rides alongside Alex Marquez but the likes of Franco Morbi♕delli, Johann Zarco, Augusto Fernandez, Tony Arbolino and Jake Dixon have all been linked to the seat for next season.

Much will depend on 🍸wheth🦋er Marco Bezzecchi decides to remain at VR46 or switch to Pramac.

Gresini, like VR46, uses year-old Ducati machinery while Pramac runs the lateಌst bikes.

VR46's current Ducati deal expires at the end of next season, meaning a Yamaha♛ switch would be theoretical possible for 2025.