In a surprising twist, it was revealed that Marc Marquez will join the Ducati MotoGP team in 2025. This announcement comes after championship leader Jorge Martin made the decision to join Aprilia. This unexpected development has completely changed the MotoGP ’25 rider market landscape. Just a few days ago, it seemed likely that Martin would secure a promotion to the Ducati factory team, while the question remained about where Marquez would fit in, either in Ducati’s satellite team or in another manufacturer’s factory team.
Initially, it seemed that the battle for the Ducati seat alongside Pecco Bagnaia would be between Marquez and Martin. However, a report from Gazzetta dello Sport before the Italian Grand Prix suggested that Martin had been chosen for the position, although no official agreement had been reached. Martin’s stance during the weekend seemed to confirm the accuracy of the report. However, in a surprising turn of events, Martin’s dream of joining the Ducati factory team disappeared in just three days.
According to the Spanish edition of Motorsport.com and Sky Sports Italy, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali and General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna decided that Marquez will be Bagnaia’s future teammate. Martin’s move to Aprilia supports this decision and opens up the possibility of him taking the number 1 from Ducati to its Noale-based competitor.
The ideal scenario for Ducati would be to have both Martin and Marquez on factory bikes in 2025. Marquez, who is currently racing with a year-old Ducati with Gresini, had previously expressed his willingness to remain in a satellite team for this to happen. However, he surprised the MotoGP paddock over the weekend by stating that he had no plans to join Pramac, Ducati’s main satellite team. Ducati was hoping to persuade Pramac to stay in their ranks by offering the opportunity to hire a rider of Marquez’s caliber. Now, Marquez will be wearing Ducati red.
This move is likely to result in Marquez ending his partnership with Red Bull, as Monster, one of the main sponsors of Ducati’s factory team, is a rival energy drink brand. For Martin, being passed over for the factory seat made a future with Ducati impossible. He already felt slighted when he was overlooked for a promotion from Pramac in favor of Enea Bastianini for 2023. Martin has repeatedly stated that he has proven his worth for a factory seat and this decision by Ducati only increased his frustration.
Aprilia officially announced the signing of Martin with a video featuring CEO Massimo Rivola and retired Aleix Espargaro. The full implications of these two major moves are yet to be seen, especially for Pramac and its potential partnership with Yamaha. It also remains to be seen what will happen to Marquez’s current team, Gresini, and the future of Bastianini, who has been rumored to be on his way to a seat at Tech3 and a factory KTM RC16.
