Ducati Derby
It’s not just the world championship derby between Bagnaia and Martin – with Marco Bezzecchi observing in the role of third wheel – that holds center stage at Ducati in this very intense final triptych of the season which opens this weekend in Malaysia, on the Sepang track. The market in fact it is back to being the boss – after the endless push and pull that involved Marc Marquez – and the protagonist is now Enea Bastianini. In fact, in the paddock there are those who believe that Ducati would like to remove the Beast from the saddle of the second of the official team to ‘demote him’ in Pramacexchanging with Jorge Martin.
The Spaniard in 2022 lost – despite starting as the favorite – the comparison with the Italian, who at the end of an extraordinary ride with Gresini was chosen by the Ducati leaders to form an all-Italian pair with Bagnaia. Now, however, thanks to the endless sequence of injuries that ruined Bastianini’s season and the very high level of performance shown by Martinator, the roles seem to have reversed. Just as in the case that involved the passage of the eldest of the Marquez brothers from HRC to the Gresini team, however, there are some contracts and of clauses.
Pernat’s version
Carlo PernatBastianini’s manager, reminded the site Speedweek as if one actually existed clause according to which Ducati could move the #23 teambut also how this is expired several months ago. “Ducati had a clause in the contract according to which by the end of August they could decide whether Enea would continue to ride for Lenovo or join the Pramac team – revealed the Genoese manager – Ducati sent me an email on August 30th or 31st confirming that Enea would continue to race in the official team. Thereby, they missed the opportunity to make the move. This official document cannot be disputed“.
Obviously a ‘downgrade’ of Bastianini would have an impact significant impact also on a commercial level for the unfortunate centaur from Rimini: “I don’t understand how these rumors came about. I also don’t know if Ducati’s plans will change if Martin wins the World Championship. For us such a team change would obviously have strong financial consequences, because our private sponsors pay much more for a place in the official team than for a place in Pramac. There you have an official bike, but you are not part of the official team. I don’t understand what could have changed in Ducati’s plans in the short time that has passed since the end of August“, concluded Pernat. The pyrotechnic 2024 driver market, therefore, could offer other twists.
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