Jorge Martín was one of the biggest stars of MotoGP in 2023 and, the Pramac Racing rider, made such a season that it could have even forced Ducati to consider putting him in the official team, as Carlo Pernat, manager of Enea Bastianini, made point of saying.
With both riders on different ends, in what concerns to the performances, with Martín battling for the title and Bastianini struggling early on in the season due to the injury suffered at Portugal, Pernat was asked if Bestia’s place at the factory was at risk, saying: ‘Well, with the championship that Martín did, honestly, we could have done it’.
However, the italian said there was a contract and that Ducati didn’t waste time to make sure Bastianini would sure to stay in the factory team, at the summer: ‘But the main problem was the contract. There was only one option, but in August, at the end of the month, Ducati renewed and put in the papers that he was in the official team for the 24th season. So when you make a contract, then you make it concrete, it’s normal’.