Ducati’s concern about “danger” led to their link-up with Marc Marquez, it has been prompt.
Marquez swapped Honda for Gresini Ducati a 12 months in the past and excelled in 2024 on a year-old machine, mounting a title problem which solely fell away within the ultimate rounds.
However he did sufficient to earn a call-up to the official Ducati group this 12 months, giving him the very best equipment on the grid.
The casualty of the producer’s choice was Jorge Martin, who gained the MotoGP title on a Ducati however has now joined Aprilia.
“I wasn’t stunned,” Wayne Gardner informed Motosan in regards to the choice to choose Marquez as an alternative of Martin.
“To be trustworthy, if it had been me, I most likely would have stayed with Jorge.
“However hey, Marc is a really proficient rider, there is no such thing as a doubt. They’re each Spanish riders, proper?
“I believe what Ducati did was take away Marquez from the competitors.
“It’s higher to have him working with them than in opposition to them.
“They know the way good Marc is. He appears to have improved lots since he joined Ducati.
“Ducati clearly has the very best bike on the grid, and it has been that approach for a few years.
“And Marc has been dealing with the Honda, that is why he had so many crashes.
“He nonetheless has fairly a couple of crashes, however now it has just a little extra consistency, and I suppose that is as a result of the bike is significantly better.
“However from Ducati’s viewpoint, they can’t danger having Marquez on a rival group.
“It’s higher to place him on their group, after which they know that they’re going to win with Pecco or with Marquez subsequent 12 months.
“So that they needed to decide, and that is the way it occurred.
“And now Martin goes to Aprilia; I believe it’s going to be unbelievable with that bike.
“I believe that can make the championship much more fascinating, to be trustworthy.”
Marquez put Ducati in a troublesome place when, final summer season, they had been contemplating their 2025 line-up.
He made it clear that Pramac, even on a factory-spec bike, was not an choice.
It brought on Ducati to U-turn from their authentic plan to reward Martin.
Martin signed for Aprilia consequently, then accomplished a dream season to finish as MotoGP champion.
He may now run the #1 on an Aprilia in 2025.
