MotoGP | Because the union between Pramac and Yamaha is the best solution for everyone

Ducati ultimately opted to retain Marquez rather than promote Martin, who will wear the Noale brand’s suit starting from 2025. These moves will have a decisive influence on the future plans of Prima Pramac Racing, which is seriously considering stopping racing with the bikes of the Borgo Panigale company, with which he has formed a tandem since 2005, to satisfy Yamaha’s wishes.

The manufacturer of the three tuning forks has been regretting the failure to renew the agreement with RNF Racing for two years, which caused him to lose two of the four M1s he had on track. This decision, in the current context of the championship, where Ducati has managed to make the difference thanks to the amount of data it collects and analyzes from its eight Desmosedici GPs, has had an enormous impact on the results of the Iwata team, which is going through a of the worst moments in its modern history: it is second to last in the constructors’ standings, ahead of only Honda, and its only team is second to last.

Unlike HRC, Yamaha is moving in new directions. He hired Max Bartolini for technical management and Marco Nicotra for aerodynamics, both from Ducati. Despite the new approach and the new work dynamics introduced, both would be happy to double the number of prototypes from which to analyze the data.

Lin Jarvis, the top executive of the Japanese company’s sports division, will leave his post at the end of this season. The Briton set himself two goals before stepping aside. The first, achieved before the start of the World Championship, was the renewal of Fabio Quartararo. The second was to bring back satellite training.

“It would be the best thing for the championship and also for Yamaha,” acknowledged Jarvis, speaking to Motorsport.com in Austin, “I would say we will have an answer around Mugello,” he said. Motorsport.com understands that it was in Texas, and without Jarvis having any direct influence on the matter, that relations between Pramac and Ducati began to become seriously tense.

Campinoti, owner of the Tuscan team, has the possibility of extending the agreement for another two years (until 2026) which would maintain its status as the only team with the support of the Bolognese manufacturer, with the following result: two Desmosedici GPs latest generation, identical to those driven by Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia.

However, Ducati, in its eagerness to contain MotoGP spending, which has once again skyrocketed, believes there are more attractive options. The most seductive would put VR46 in place of Pramac. It is precisely this that annoys Campinoti, who believes he does not deserve such treatment from Ducati after so many years of rowing and rowing, when the results did not arrive like they do now.

“The risk of losing Pramac is real,” Ducati Corse general director Gigi Dall’Igna confirmed to Sky at the end of last week. During the Italian Grand Prix, Pramac team manager Gino Borsoi had taken it for granted that his team would keep the two GP25s, but Ducati sporting director Mauro Grassilli clarified a few hours later that Pramac had not yet made it official the clause.

“We have been working hard since the beginning of the season with the intention of continuing for another two years, but we don’t have written confirmation yet. We want it as soon as possible,” commented Grassilli. Motorsport.com understands that the renewal of the contract between the two parties is automatic and that Pramac must inform Ducati only if he wants to break it, by the end of July. And given Campinoti’s anger, it wouldn’t be surprising if he waited until the last minute to reveal his plans for Ducati.

Fabio Quartararo, Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo credit: Yamaha

At this point, after Martin has linked his future to that of Aprilia and without neglecting Campinoti’s tiredness, it would not surprise anyone that the possibility of accepting Yamaha’s proposal has taken on much greater weight than that of remaining in Ducati .

Above all because keeping the GP25 would entail the obligation of a significant investment, without being able to fight for podiums, victories and titles: the farewell of the #89 would mean having to look for a replacement to support Fermin Aldeguer, who will debut in MotoGP next year. With such a scenario, it is not surprising that there are those who believe that the investment presents a certain risk. On the contrary, necessity forces Yamaha to offer much more advantageous conditions in all respects, even if the time to say “yes” is now.

For its part, VR46 has changed its strategy. Until a couple of months ago, Uccio Salucci declared that he wanted to take on a more important role within the Ducati orbit. Now discretion has become the rule, since both Salucci and Pablo Nieto, the team manager of the Tavullia team, know that time and the existing tension are on their side.