2023-11-03 18:44:55
Jorge Martín will have a very difficult time, if not impossible, to wear red in 2024 even if he wins the MotoGP title. The news broke just a few days ago when Diario AS published surprising information: the possibility of seeing the Madrid native as Pecco Bagnaia’s teammate next year if the championship was finally going to end up in the hands of the PRAMAC Racing member.
On paper, Martín’s promotion would make all the sense in the world; If he wins the champion crown, the one from San Sebastián de los Reyes would become the first satellite rider to win the MotoGP title in the entire history of the championshipa milestone that would make him justly deserving of a GP24 painted Ducati red.
On the other side of the scale we find the great victim of this possible ‘sorpasso’, which is none other than Enea Bastianini; Last year, the Italian already won the battle for the official Ducati against Martín, who at least secured a contract with the same salary as the ‘Beast’ and the guarantee from Gigi Dall’Igna of having it in his box. with the same material as the Ducati Lenovo Team duoconditions that finally allowed those from Borgo Panigale to retain a Martín who was already being tempted by other factories.
2024 is not being the year that Enea Bastianini expected; an early and untimely collarbone injury in the opening round of Portimao after being hit by Luca Marini left him out of action for four weekendsand after making a lukewarm return in which he was only able to add 25 points in six grand prix, his second injury of the season arrived, this time in Catalunya, breaking an ankle and a finger on his left hand, saying goodbye to the quotes from Misano, India and Japan.
Ducati did not want to undermine the morale or confidence of its rider, so they met with him in the summer and assured Bastianini that I would continue competing in the official team also in 2024; At least that is what his representative, Carlo Pernat, has revealed in his last participation in the Manuel Pecino’s YouTube channel.
There, Pernat wanted to remember that Bastianini “He is a great champion and he has shown it,” making it clear that “The crash he suffered in Portugal because of Luca Marini made him throw away the entire season, a championship in which, without a doubt, he would have been one of the protagonists”.
In the opinion of Bastianini’s manager“Ducati knows this well”, and that is why they have decided to trust the ‘Beast’ for one more season trusting that the injuries will spare the Rimini pilot and be able to fight for the MotoGP title next season, where then he will have to risk his continuity in the factory team’s box with a view to 2025.
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In addition, Pernat also brings to light the contract that currently links Bastianini with Ducati; The Italian firm had until August 30 to decide what to do with its driver in 2024, and after that date, the legal clauses of the agreement include uimportant financial compensation in favor of Bastianini if Ducati left him out of the official team, a break that would then “it would cost a lot of money” to the Bolognese factory according to Pernat and that it would also tarnish Ducati’s reputation by dispensing with a rider who has not been able to stand out this year due to injuries.
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