The MotoGP champion team, Pramac, is ready to officially end its 20-year partnership with Ducati and join Yamaha’s rebuilding project. The news of the move was first reported by Sky Italy and is expected to be confirmed soon. Although Pramac still has one more year left on its contract with Ducati, rumors of an exit began circulating even before the start of the 2024 season. Yamaha has expressed its desire to expand its presence on the grid in order to improve the performance of its M1 after three challenging seasons. The addition of Pramac as a satellite team will provide Yamaha with valuable data and contribute to its recovery efforts.
Yamaha’s ability to retain Fabio Quartararo for another two years demonstrates its commitment to improving the bike. Regaining its two satellite team slots will also double the amount of data that Yamaha can collect, which is crucial to its recovery. However, breaking ties with Ducati, with whom Pramac has a long-standing relationship, was not an easy task. Pramac’s decision to leave was likely influenced by Ducati’s rider market decisions, including promoting Marc Marquez to the factory team instead of Jorge Martin. Martin subsequently left Ducati and joined Aprilia. The hiring of Marco Bezzecchi by Aprilia may have been the final factor that convinced Pramac that Ducati could not provide a title-contending rider as a replacement.
In addition to Yamaha’s financial offer, the switch to the Japanese manufacturer also includes the provision of new M1 machines free of charge, unlike Pramac’s current leasing agreement with Ducati. With the machine agreement finalized, the focus now shifts to the rider market and the potential impact of the change. Given Yamaha’s different priorities compared to Ducati, significant repercussions are likely. If Pramac had remained with Ducati, it was expected that Moto2 rider Fermin Aldeguer would join the team for the 2025 season. However, with the switch to Yamaha, there are now two attractive spots available on Pramac’s M1 machines. This opens up opportunities for more experienced riders who can contribute to Yamaha’s data and development needs. Possible candidates include Fabio Di Giannantonio from the VR46 team, Miguel Oliveira from Trackhouse Aprilia, or even Joan Mir, the 2020 world champion, if his negotiations with Repsol Honda do not materialize.
