MotoGP | Borsoi: “Martin's journey in Pramac, like it or not, has come to an end”

In his first year at the helm of Prima Pramac Racing, Ducati's Italian satellite team won the teams title, an achievement that until last season had always been reserved for factory teams.

In his second season, Gino Borsoi hopes to take a further step forward and lead Jorge Martin to the drivers' title, a challenge that began brilliantly at the Qatar Grand Prix, where he took pole and victory in the Sprint. But he left some shadows in Sunday's race, where his main rival, Pecco Bagnaia, won with great authority.

Motorsport.com wanted to interview the former driver and now Pramac sporting director to find out his impressions after the start of the season.

What is Pramac's assessment of the Qatar weekend in relation to Jorge Martin?
“The weekend was very good, starting from qualifying, which was perfect and we managed to set a spectacular time (new circuit record), up to the Sprint in the afternoon, which we won by overcoming the problems we had with the bike Since on Saturday afternoon we still didn't have the bike, let's say, ready to be able to do a race like the one he did, he raced with all the problems and took a victory against all predictions. We knew we would suffer and he did the magic, he was the artist of Saturday afternoon with a bike that went very well. On Sunday we didn't have the same problems as Saturday, I would say much less, but he couldn't attack from the start because we were alarmed by the vibration problem and of tire wear. We had to start with great caution, not wanting to attack from the start and this excess of caution, from the first lap, is what prevented him from fighting with Bagnaia. Pecco started fast without worrying too much about the tires and we were very cautious. I think that's why we lost the chance to fight for victory.”

Was this “conservative” position a decision made at the time of the driver's departure or was it part of the team's strategy?
“It's a team decision, we evaluate it a lot both on Saturday after the race and on Sunday morning, we see the data on tire wear and, from there, we make a projection. We knew that if we maintained the same pace as the Sprint, the tire would not have held up. Sunday showed us that the assessment had been correct, but other factors came into play: the Moto3 and Moto2 races changed the projection of tire wear a bit and this is an aspect that we have to learn, because the Pirellis are softer and leave a different grip compared to the Dunlops of last year. On Friday it also rained in the afternoon and it didn't change the grip of the tires in the other classes, which was different on Sunday after the two races “.

It is indisputable that Martin has achieved two podiums and is third in the World Championship, which is a very good result. But the impression on Sunday was a bit of disenchantment… Are you putting too much pressure on yourself?
“Jorge has no pressure, and from the team even less, zero. He has improved compared to 2023, he has worked a lot physically and mentally, I think he is a Jorge who now covers all aspects of preparation, even on a mental level, let's say. Physically he was already super-prepared last year and he was just missing that little touch, perhaps. Then we will have to see if this preparation will bring us results, but we are sure that he will improve compared to last year, when he proved to be the fastest of the category and he was just missing some details that we are now trying to perfect. I see him as very calm, Sunday's result was very good, as was the whole weekend. We must keep in mind that the World Championship is very long and we must not commit mistakes. Last year, at the first race in Portimao, we had a great Saturday and on Sunday it went badly (he collided with Marc Marquez on the first lap and then, when he was returning, he crashed with 6 laps to go in tenth position), perhaps if he had finished the race eighth or ninth, we would have obtained some very valuable points for the final classification, which would have given him more margin in his fight with Pecco.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, and Jorge Martín, Pramac

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

When at the end of the race Bagnaia says: “We work in silence”, how does Pramac read it? Is there a psychological battle?
“There are no controversies either with Pecco or with the red part of the Ducati team. Obviously, and they have demonstrated this several times, they arrive on Sunday. This is an aspect that we have to study and learn. Most of the time they start the weekend with many difficulties and as Sunday approaches they get better and better. It's something we have to understand why from such a difficult Friday for them they manage to win the race. If we could do it too, having such a solid Friday and Saturday as we have Jorge has always done, then we would be even stronger on Sunday. The other option is to ask Dorna to eliminate Sunday (laughs)”.

Motorsport.com recently published interviews with Paolo Ciabatti, former Ducati sporting director, and his replacement, Mauro Grassilli. Both agree on the fact that the Bolognese company's strategy for Pramac is to return to being a training team, with young riders and low salaries. Both agreed that this is Martin's last year with the team. Does Pramac have no say in the matter?
“Obviously we are part of a Ducati project. Pramac was created to be the junior team, that is, the team from which young riders or riders with a certain amount of experience move on to be evaluated and, if they know how to do it, to move on to the official team. This it is the project with which Pramac started. And I understand that it is still the spirit and the reason why we have this great bond with Ducati and the official bikes. Is it said that Martin will not be part of next year's project? Personally I believe that the Jorge's time with the Pramac team, like it or not, has come to an end. He has been with us for many years, he started from the first year in MotoGP and we are in the fourth year. The next step must be with an official bike, which be it Ducati or otherwise. He continues to prove that he is one of the fastest, or perhaps the fastest or on par with Pecco, and deserves, in addition to a great season with us this year, to have an official bike next year. As beautiful and interesting as it is for a Pramac rider, who has an official Ducati bike and a special bond with the company.”

Is the relationship with Grassilli as good as the one with Ciabatti?
“I have an excellent relationship with both of them. Ciabatti is a gentleman, a great person, he has helped us a lot in these years, very balanced, we have worked perfectly in all these years. I have only met Grassilli recently, but I have seen that he has the same style, I liked working with him, he is very sensitive and balanced. I believe we will be able to work as well as with Paolo.”

Franco Morbidelli, Pramac Racing

Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

After missing pre-season due to injury, Franco Morbidelli was finally able to make his debut on the Ducati…
“The outcome of Morbidelli's weekend is very positive, well beyond expectations. It was his first time on a Ducati, Tuesday in Valencia doesn't count due to the circumstances. The first real test for him was on Friday in Qatar, when others came from five days of testing, all with an attitude, a speed and a calmness due to all the training they had already done. For him, every time he set foot on the circuit he discovered things, it's like a child starting to walk. He made no mistakes. On Saturday he finished 24 seconds behind the winner and on Sunday, with double the laps, he came within the same distance. This means that he improved his pace by a second with many more laps, understanding more and more of what do I need and what can I do with this bike.”

Ducati has signed Fermin Aldeguer for Pramac in 2025…
“Well, Ducati has signed Aldeguer. From there it's a matter of seeing where Ducati wants to place him.”

But would you like to have Fermin in Pramac next year?
“Evidently…”

What do you think of Pedro Acosta's debut in MotoGP?
“We already knew it, it's incredible, he showed it in the race. He did what he had to do, attack from the first minute to understand what MotoGP is, to understand what it means to fight with the best riders in the world. He was in front, he could see how Marquez rode, he could see how Jorge rode, the best. From mid-race to the end he suffered because he still has to understand how to manage the tire and adapt to the category, with more powerful and heavier bikes. Physically, I imagine, he will have suffered a bit more. But I imagine that all the stress and pressure of understanding the category in such a long race leads you to make, so to speak, small mistakes due to his lack of experience. The summary, for me, is that he has did what he had to do: attack and have fun. I think we'll soon see him up there fighting for something more.”

And that of Marc Marquez with the Ducati?
“I think he had a more than intelligent weekend, little by little he is discovering the bike, he is understanding it, without making any mistakes. What would I say to Marc? I can't tell him anything, he knows infinitely better than me how to manage this situation. I understand that Marc has a plan and that he didn't push one hundred percent from the first minute, because he will want to discover all the secrets of this Ducati, which for him is a completely new bike, very different from the one he was used to. the bike at home, getting informed and progressing little by little is the smartest way to proceed. But, I insist, no one knows how to manage this situation better than him.”

Jorge Martín celebrates the Sprint victory in Qatar

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images