Pramac Racing’s manager, Fonsi Nieto, shed light on Ducati Corse’s decision to choose Marc Marquez over Jorge Martin for the 2025 MotoGP season. The choice was influenced by the riders’ attractiveness factor. The drama unfolded in the middle of the 2024 MotoGP season when Ducati abruptly signed Marquez, who had only been racing for Gresini Racing for one season. Ducati’s move sidelined long-standing satellite team rider Martin, leading to the loss of Pramac Racing, which now operates as Yamaha’s satellite team.
Meanwhile, Martin, who clinched the MotoGP 2024 championship, joined Aprilia Racing. Nieto revealed that Ducati Lenovo was in a dilemma at that time, as The Baby Alien had also shown significant progress. Marquez finished third in the previous season’s standings, directly behind Martin and Bagnaia, which played a crucial role in Ducati’s decision. The choice was based on Marquez’s popularity and skills. Nieto noted that losing Martin was not easy for Ducati, especially when he had become a world champion. Ducati was in a period of success, and losing a rider like Jorge Martin was a significant blow, according to Nieto.