Pramac Ducati team manager Gino Borsoi remarks that the tenure of 2023 MotoGP runner-up Jorge Martin with the outfit ‘has, whether one likes it or not, somewhat reached its conclusion.’
Martin entered the MotoGP scene with the factory-supported Pramac Ducati squad in 2021, securing a maiden victory at the Styrian Grand Prix in Austria.
In the 2023 season, the Spanish rider engaged in a fierce title battle with factory Ducati counterpart Francesco Bagnaia, narrowly missing out on the championship at the season’s final round.
With five grand prix victories and ten sprint wins under his belt, Martin is poised to play a pivotal role in the 2025 rider market. The Pramac racer has consistently voiced his aspiration to join a factory team.
Borsoi revealed, “We are undeniably part of Ducati’s project.” When questioned about Ducati’s intention to return Pramac to its roots as a junior team, Borsoi stated, “Pramac was established as the junior team, the platform for young or experienced riders to be evaluated and potentially transitioned to the official team.”
“This is the foundation on which Pramac was built. I understand that it still embodies the spirit and the essence of our strong connection with Ducati and the official bikes.
“Regarding Martin’s future in next year’s project, it’s a subject of discussion. Personally, I believe Jorge’s journey with the Pramac team, like it or not, is reaching its conclusion.
“He has been with us for many years, starting from his rookie year in MotoGP, and now we’re in the fourth year. The logical progression for him is to ride an official bike, whether it’s with Ducati or elsewhere. He consistently demonstrates that he’s among the fastest, perhaps even matching Pecco, and after an impressive season with us this year, he deserves a factory ride next season.”
At the opening round of the 2024 season last weekend, Martin finished third in the grand prix after claiming victory in the sprint race the previous day from pole position.
Dealing with persistent vibration issues throughout the winter and into the Qatar weekend, Borsoi believes this led Martin to adopt a more cautious approach in the opening grand prix, ultimately missing out on a potential win.
“The weekend went quite well, starting with a flawless qualifying session where he set a spectacular time (a new circuit record), followed by winning the sprint race in the afternoon despite the challenges we faced with the bike,” he remarked.
“Because by Saturday afternoon, we still hadn’t quite got the bike ready for a race of that caliber. He rode through all the challenges and clinched victory against all odds.
“We were aware that we would face difficulties, and he conjured up magic; he was the maestro on Saturday afternoon, taming a bike that wasn’t quite at its best.
“On Sunday, our problems from Saturday were significantly reduced, I’d say, but we couldn’t launch an aggressive attack from the get-go due to concerns about vibrations and tire wear.
“We had to approach the race cautiously, refraining from pushing too hard right from the start. This excess of caution from the opening lap is what kept him from battling it out with Bagnaia.
“Pecco started aggressively, not overly concerned about tire wear, while we were more conservative. I believe this is where we missed our chance to challenge for the win.”
Let us know your thoughts about this in comments.
