Marc Marquez has explained why he turned down an initial contract clause from Ducati.
Next year, Marquez will transition from Gresini to the factory Ducati team.
As a result, Pramac’s Jorge Martin will join the Aprilia team for the 2025 MotoGP season.
Initially, Ducati offered Martin the sought-after factory seat, but with a condition: if Marquez wins this year’s championship, he would be automatically promoted to the official team, replacing Martin.
Martin accepted these terms, but Marquez did not. Why?
“It’s simple,” Marquez told AS. “The main reason is that if you have to earn it on the track, you need the same equipment. And I don’t have that right now.”
Marquez was referring to the older Ducati model he rides for Gresini, while Martin and title contenders Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini have the latest-spec bikes.
“But it’s no excuse,” Marquez added. “I’m proving that I can be competitive. Another factor is that I was clear about not moving from one satellite team to another.
“Additionally, athletes have contracts with sponsors who have supported them throughout their careers. One of my sponsors, a multinational, finalizes contracts for the next two years in September and couldn’t wait. It was unfeasible.”
Marquez made it clear that switching to Pramac, which could have met his desire for a GP25, was not an option, a stance that essentially forced Ducati to reconsider their original plan to offer Martin the official bike next year.
The rest of this year’s title fight, currently led by Martin, will unfold with the backdrop of Martin moving to Aprilia and Marquez joining the factory Ducati team in 2025.
