Jorge Martín made it clear early on that he wanted to be with a factory team in MotoGP for 2025, whether it was with Ducati or not. He repeatedly emphasized that staying with Prima Pramac Racing was not an option.
Thus, when it came time to make a decision, Ducati had to choose which rider to part with among Enea Bastianini, Martín, and Marc Márquez. They chose Márquez, lost Bastianini, and Martín, a decision that stirred some controversy.
Claudio Domenicali, Ducati’s CEO, explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport that Martín’s talent is unquestionable: ‘Jorge is a very strong talent. It’s not that Enea [Bastianini] and [Marco] Bezzecchi aren’t, but Jorge showed himself more. The championship is now being played out, and if it were possible to award the title jointly last year, Jorge deserved it as much as Pecco [Bagnaia]’.
As the runner-up in 2023 and currently fighting for the title this year, what more could Martín have done to be chosen by Ducati? Domenicali replied: ‘That’s a good question. In my opinion, things didn’t go well. From the beginning, he said «I’m not staying at Pramac», and that burned some bridges. The only thing Jorge didn’t have to do was say he wouldn’t stay at Pramac. I never asked myself what more he should have done, but when you say a series of «no’s», then those who have to decide have fewer options’.
Márquez also ruled out joining Pramac, and Domenicali admitted that this was another difficulty in the decision-making process, noting that with Martín, there was also a personal relationship:
– Even Marc, indeed. Everyone made this very difficult for us, and personally, I suffered because I built a personal relationship with Jorge. We have this family idea, so you also become attached to people. It was exhausting because he is a great talent we would have liked to keep with us. These guys grow up, become very strong, and create expectations that lead to burning some bridges. He preferred to change manufacturers, but maybe in a year he’ll change his mind and we’ll meet again.