MotoGP | Martin: “Many teams have knocked on the door, I’m waiting for Ducati”

MotoGP arrives in Barcelona with eyes still shining after the race in France, where Jorge Martin defeated Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia after a battle as exhausting as it was spectacular. The Pramac rider enters the Catalan Grand Prix as championship leader, with a 38-point advantage over the reigning world champion and is clearly the favorite both for the race weekend and for the future.

Precisely 2025 is the topic that takes center stage at Montmelo, a crucial weekend for Ducati, which will have to decide who will join Bagnaia. Will Enea Bastianini keep his job? Will Marc Marquez arrive or will the chosen one finally be Martin? The Spaniard doesn’t want to think about the future that awaits him now, but he prefers to focus on the weekend that he’s about to start.

“It will certainly be interesting,” explained the championship leader in the usual Thursday press conference. “I’m happy with last week’s result, but it’s in the past. Now we need to focus on this track. Last year we struggled a bit with grip, but I think everyone was like that. Let’s see how the new bike will perform here, I think it will be better than last year. We also have ideas for being quick in case we need it. Certainly last year Aprilia was on another level, so the objective is to close the gap. You never know, we’ll see how the bike improves, I’m confident because I feel like I’m in a good moment.”

Martin missed winning in front of his fans last year, he could do nothing against the Aprilias, in particular that of Aleix Espargaro. Will the RS-GPs also be confirmed in 2024? One thing is certain: according to the Pramac rider, this weekend’s result will not influence the choice of Ducati. But be careful, because Martin is the object of desire of other brands, who are starting to knock on his door.

“I think the results of Le Mans, Jerez or Barcelona will not change the final decision,” explained the Spaniard. “I understand Ducati’s timing, they have to understand what they need, how to put everything together, so let’s wait. In the next two weeks I will decide my future because I will know Ducati’s decision. I’m also happy that other brands are knocking on my door, this means we are doing a great job. I can’t control what will happen in the next few weeks, so in the meantime I’ll do my best in Barcelona and Mugello, then we’ll see what the future holds for us.”

In light of the great growth and what was done in Barcelona last year, is Aprilia a good option for 2025? Martin prefers to gloss over: “There’s no point in thinking now what might be a good option or not. Now we have to wait and until then it will be difficult. Sure the European brands look in great shape, but Yamaha and Honda will also come with time. So let’s wait and see, but there are very competitive options.”

The home race is special, but for Martin there was room for emotion right from the start. His close friend Aleix Espargaro announced his retirement from racing at the end of this season and it was inevitable for the Pramac rider to shed a few tears: “I spoke to him last week and he said he wouldn’t cry, but in the end he did done (laughs). He is a very important person in my life, I was a fan of him in 2013, I have photos with him, but he didn’t even know me. But he is not just my friend, he is my brother, sometimes I am almost like his son, I go to dinner with him every now and then in Andorra. He is one of the most important people in my life, I couldn’t help but cry. I am very happy for him and his family.”