It has dominated MotoGP™ headlines for several weeks, and for good reason. A place on the factory Ducati bike is the most coveted in the sport right now, with the Desmosedici machine winning the title in the past two years, and very much odds on to make it a hat-trick this season. We know that defending two-time MotoGP™ World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has already signed on beyond the current campaign, but it is still very much up in the air as to who his teammate will be in 2025.
It certainly isn’t the easiest of decisions to make either. Among three contenders you have the incumbent Enea Bastianini, a five-time premier class race winner, a Moto2™ World Champion and Bagnaia’s preferred choice. Then there is Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), the current Championship leader and chief rival to Bagnaia over the past 18 months or so, and Marc Marquez, the eight-time World Champion who has found his spark again on track aboard a year-old Gresini Ducati.
It is a highly anticipated decision, and Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali opened up on the dilemma facing the Bologna bullets.
“We had many thoughts. It’s not an easy choice, because the three candidates are of a high level and are probably performing like never before. Enea in France finished two seconds behind the winner despite a long lap penalty, which made him lose three seconds. Maybe he’s considered out of contention, but he’s performing really well. Jorge is probably in the best moment of his career. Marc is Marc.” Domenicali told Sky Italia.
“It’s a complicated choice. We’re trying to consider all the little details. On the other side, in the past, I experienced moments where it was complicated to find a fast rider willing to ride for us!
“It’s complicated, but I’m sure we will find a good balance.”
It is a decision that has divided opinion among fans and pundits in the paddock, with plenty getting in touch with the Italian to offer their thoughts on the matter!
“Sport sometimes is divisive. Some fans support one side, others the other. I received messages from people saying that one choice is clearly better than the others, and other messages from other people saying that clearly the best choice is another. That’s something that makes sport beautiful, involving the fans. In the end, we are here because we enjoy it, we love racing, we are here for our fans. We are here to put on a good show. We’ll try to make a thoughtful choice, considering everything that needs to be considered.”