Ducati told to delay the decision which silly season is waiting for

"What it means for Ducati is they can push these decis♒ions do💧wn the road..."

Gigi Dall'Igna, Portimao MotoGP test, 12 March
Gigi Dall'Igna, Portimao MotoGP test, 12 March

Ducati have been advised to delay deciding who will ridꩲe their factory bike next year.

A wild silly season is expected because the majority🦩 of MotoGP riders are 𝕴coming to the end of their current contracts.

Notably Francesco Bagnaia is tied down long-term ♐but his teammate Enea Bastianꦜini is not.

It means the besꦜt bike on the Mot🌱oGP grid is up for grabs in 2025.

As a result, Ducati’s decision is likely t𝓰o be the first domino to fall before riders to commit to other projects.

Broadcaster Gavin Emmett said to : “Jorge Martin will not be at Pramac next year, whatever happensꦡ. The team have sa🅠id that. He has said that.

“The question then is, and he ♎has said it himself,🌺 ‘will I be in red next year?’

“That is where he's aiming. He'dᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ love to be in the Ducati factory red.

“The question is, do Du🤪cati want ✤that enough to sign him now and get it done?

“They’ve got to keep Bastianini sweet at this stage of the season and they have Marc Ma😼rquez in the wings, and if there's anyone else that lights up this year, they want to have that potential there.

“So are they goi𓂃ng to move quickly eno🅰ugh for Martin to put him in red? I don't know.

“Franco Morb♉idelli looks unf🌺ortunately like a dead man walking at the moment.

“He's got a big yea🃏r ahead of him after having missed all the pre-season to prove what he's capable of🍃, because we all know that he has some potential.

“It's going to be a bit of a long jam.

“Marco Bezzecchi is hoping to step up onto a factory bike and you've got Fabio Quartararo apparently wanting to ride a dif🧔ferent bike from the Yamaha.

“There's so many unknowns. T෴hat's why this silly season wil꧂l be the silliest season ever.

“So what it means for Ducati is they can push 🌜these decisions down the road.

“The fact is everyone wants to be on their bikes.

“Is that going to be enough for Jorge Martin? He wants to be wanted, wꦡants to become someone's factory rider.

“So it makes it a fascinating time in terms of contracts getting s𒆙igned.”

Emmett said about Gresini rider Marquez: “Would you not want Marc Marquez, the bigge❀st name in our sport on your bike?

“You think you’d be mad to say you don't want him🌄.

“There’s every possibility he ♋could win in three weeks’ time and that would set tongues wagging.

“It will be interesting to see. I mean if you're behind that🍎 Ducati team, however much you've got Bagnaia in there, you still want Marc Marquez on your bike, I believe.

“But obviou𝔉sly the results will have to come first.”

🐓The third round of the 2024 season, in two weeks’ time, is at COTA - one of Marquez’s favourite circuits.

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