Done Deal! Marc Marquez signs for Ducati Lenovo Team until 2026
By Sven Grune
Ducati has confirmed that Marc Marquez will race for the factory Ducati Lenovo team alongside Pecco Bagnaia for the next two seasons. Marquez will replace Enea Bastianini, who is set to join KTM and race for the Tech3 team.
This news comes as no surprise. An announcement was anticipated ever since Aprilia stole Ducati’s thunder by revealing they had signed Jorge Martin for the next two seasons at the end of the Monday test. With Martin and Marquez being the only two candidates for the second factory Ducati seat, Martin’s departure left only one possibility.
Marquez has adapted to the Ducati remarkably quickly, although he is still searching for that maiden win, and his first in the MotoGP class for a long time. Many, including ourselves, expected him to have won on a Ducati by now, but it just highlights the level MotoGP is at right now. However, he was competitive in Qatar and secured his first sprint podium in the second round at Portimão. Since the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, Marquez has been on the podium in every race sprint and Grand Prix, except at Mugello, where he finished fourth behind Enea Bastianini on Sunday.
His performance, along with his value as a marketing asset – evident from the numerous MM93 branded items in crowds at any race, rivaling even Valentino Rossi’s and far surpassing anyone else’s – convinced Ducati to choose Marquez over Jorge Martin.
Throughout the 2024 season, Marc Marquez has spoken about having a plan. Though he never explicitly revealed what the plan was, only confirming that things were going according to plan, it was clear that joining the factory Ducati team and fighting for a championship had been his goal all along.
The details of how this deal came about and its ramifications are intriguing. Several significant questions remain: which energy drink brand will prevail, Monster or Red Bull? Which sunglasses brand will stay, Oakley or Carrera? Samsung or Lenovo? Additionally, there’s the curious case of Santi Hernandez, Marquez’s long-time crew chief and friend, who is currently contracted to Honda and working with Joan Mir. Santi’s contract with Honda ends this season, so will he join Ducati with Marquez?
Luigi Dall’Igna (General Manager of Ducati Corse): “First of all, I want to thank both Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martín for all their work with us over the last few years, and I wish them all the best for the future. This season, they have shown they have reached an incredible level, and we are sure they will be in the Title fight until the end. Deciding on Bagnaia’s new teammate in the Ducati Lenovo Team was not easy, as we had a list of very strong riders to choose from.
“In the end, our choice fell on an unquestionable talent like Marc Marquez. In just a few races, he has managed to adapt perfectly to our Desmosedici GP, and his innate ambition pushes him to grow continuously. In the box, we will have two riders who together hold 11 World Titles, and being able to count on their experience and maturity will be invaluable for our growth as well.”
Marc Marquez: “I am very happy to be able to wear the red colours of the factory Ducati team in MotoGP next season. Basically, from the first contact with the Desmosedici GP, I enjoyed riding it and adapted well straight away. From that moment on, I knew that my goal was to continue this path, to continue to grow, and to move to the team where Francesco Bagnaia has been the World Champion for two years in a row. I am happy to be able to take this big step in 2025 and grateful for the trust Ducati has placed in me.
“Finally, I want to thank Nadia, Carlo, Michele, and the entire Gresini Racing family for opening the door of their team to me at a delicate time in my career. Now, we will continue to have fun and give it our all in what remains of the current season, which is my priority right now.”
With Martin and Marquez deals now secured, this opens up the rest of the musical chairs in MotoGP. The likes of Miguel Oliveria, Joan Mir, Marco Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez, Jack Miller, Alex Marquez, Alex Rins, Taka Nakagami, Di Giannantonio, and Maverick Vinales are all still up for grabs and with no contracts in place. Another big question to answer is that of current Moto2 star, Fermin Aldeguer, who has a signed contract with Ducati for 2025. With talks still ongoing with Pramac, who are yet to confirm whether or not they will stay with Ducati or go with Yamaha, Ducati needs to find a spot for Fermin. If Pramac were to go with Yamaha, then Fermin’s options are either with the VR46 or Gresini teams.
Stay tuned to our channels for more updates in the coming weeks.
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