MotoGP 2024: The rider carousel is spinning – Morbidelli moves to Pramac Ducati, limiting Marquez’s options

18. September 2023

3 min read

Franco Morbidelli, 2020 MotoGP World Championship runner-up, moves to Pramac Ducati for the 2024 season, which also impacts Marc Marquez's contract options. This sets a new course for the upcoming MotoGP season.

Morbidelli’s move to Pramac Ducati

Franco Morbidelli, 2020 MotoGP World Championship runner-up, is taking on a new challenge. He is moving to the Pramac Ducati camp for the 2024 MotoGP season, where he will ride the Desmosedici GP24. The move marks his return to Italian roots and replaces Johann Zarco, who sees his future at LCR-Honda.

Collaboration with Ducati

The Roman has directly signed a contract with the manufacturer Ducati, the stated goal is to work together in the Pramac team. The team and Ducati have high expectations for Morbidelli. Luigi Dall’Igna, the general manager of Ducati Corse, sees in him a rider of great talent and experience, who has already demonstrated his strength and speed on several occasions.

The team structure at Pramac Ducati

Jorge Martin will be Morbidelli’s teammate, and the duo will be supported by a strong management. Paolo Campinoti, principal of the Pramac team, expects optimal conditions for Morbidelli to return to the top of MotoGP.

Reactions to the change

News of Morbidelli’s switch was a major topic of discussion for many in the industry. Gino Borsoi, team manager of Pramac Ducati, expressed great confidence in Morbidelli’s abilities and expects to achieve outstanding results together.

Influence on Marquez’s decisions

Franco Morbidelli’s signing also has an influence on Marc Marquez, the eight-time world champion. While Marquez is actually under contract with Honda for one more year, but rumors of a switch have been growing louder, his options are limited by Morbidelli’s signing. A move to Pramac Ducati is thus off the table for him.

Rumors and speculation

The big question remains: What is Marc Marquez planning for his future? He has already indicated that he has several options and will make a decision in the foreseeable future. Alex Rins, who is moving from Honda to Yamaha, thinks a move by Marquez to Ducati is unlikely. He believes Marquez will stay with Honda, despite the challenges he faces there.

Conclusion

The 2024 MotoGP season is sure to be exciting. With Franco Morbidelli’s move to Pramac Ducati and the resulting change in options for Marc Marquez, the cards have been reshuffled. It therefore remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what decisions the players involved will make.

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