Ducati is at the moment deciding which rider to put alongside Bagnaia in 2025, as Enea Bastianini’s two-year contract is because of expire on the finish of the season.
It has the choice of extending its take care of Bastianini, selling final 12 months’s runner-up Jorge Martin from Pramac, or signing Marquez and forming an all-star manufacturing facility workforce.
Some insiders have questioned if Bagnaia would desire a rider with the status and success of Marquez at Ducati’s works outfit, because it might be detrimental to the concord of the workforce and jeopardise his personal #1 standing on the Italian marque.
However talking forward of the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, Bagnaia made it clear that he had no choice between any of the trio, quashing strategies about him being averse to Ducati hiring Marquez.
“In these [last few] days, I noticed a video saying I do not need Marc on the manufacturing facility workforce, but it surely’s bullshit,” he stated.
“I do not care. I simply wish to beat all of them, attempt to be at all times the most effective and preserve going like this. I haven’t got a choice, actually.
“I’m working nicely with Enea. I do know completely the kind of work we’re approaching, and if the workforce modifications the team-mate we have now to begin once more. However in any case, my ambition is at all times to be stronger than them.”
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Martin completed runner-up to Bagnaia in 2023 and leads the standings this 12 months forward of Le Mans after winnng the Portuguese Grand Prix and scoring dash wins in Qatar and Spain.
Having beforehand acknowledged publicly that there’s nothing extra he might do to persuade Ducati he’s deserving of a manufacturing facility journey, Martin reiterated {that a} promotion from Pramac could be the pure subsequent step for him.
“From my aspect, I am actually comfortable the place I’m however the pure place of the Ducati household, the place I began and grew up throughout all my profession in MotoGP, the pure transfer might be to go to the manufacturing facility Ducati team,” he stated.
“I used to be actually shut in ’22, final season was once more until the final race. It is my purpose to reach there, I hope I can obtain it very shortly, but when not let’s have a look at what occurs.”
Marquez’s speedy adaptation to the Ducati GP23 with the satellite tv for pc Gresini workforce has made him a contender to accomplice Bagnaia subsequent 12 months, with the Spaniard’s velocity and PR worth an asset for any producer.
Whereas Marquez was coy about his possibilities of touchdown a Ducati journey subsequent 12 months, he made it clear that he would wish a manufacturing facility seat with a purpose to goal for a seventh title within the premier class.
“I arrived right here in a really particular state of affairs and now, step-by-step, I really feel higher on the race observe, I really feel stronger and way more assured, and this was my goal of this 12 months.
“Clearly 2025, ’26, if I proceed in that method it might be a special goal, and the goal could be to combat for the championship.
“For that cause, if you wish to combat for the championship you have to have the latest materials in your bike to have extra probabilities.
“However going quicker on the race observe I might have extra choices for my future. And if I’ve the prospect I’ll resolve the most effective.”