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Jorge Martin says he sees “no reason” to leave Ducati after being linked to the factory Yamaha team for 2024.
The Spanish rider is only 16 points behind Francesco Bagnaia ahead of this weekend’s eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship at Assen, which is the final event before the summer break.
Martin, a double winner at the German GP at the Sachsenring last weekend, was passed over by Ducati for the second factory seat alongside Bagnaia this year, which instead went to Enea Bastianini, a four-time GP winner in 2022 on the Gresini bike.
Pramac Racing’s Martin, however, has not allowed that disappointment to affect his performances this season and is firmly in the mix for the title after the first seven rounds.
Speaking ahead of the Dutch TT, Martin said he would be happy to stay with Ducati for 2024, even though he previously revealed a clause existed in his current two-year deal with the Italian manufacturer that permits him to leave if he is offered a factory ride by another team.
“I’m happy where I am,” Martin said. “I don’t see a reason to change.
“I have a factory bike, an amazing team that is pushing for me. I feel like 2024 should be the same.”
Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti has confirmed the manufacturer will again run eight bikes in 2024 after renewing its contract with Gresini, which is the only one of Ducati’s three satellite teams that did not have a contract in place after this year.
The deal is not official, but Ciabatti told MotoGP.com: “We haven’t announced or signed anything yet but we have agreed with Gresini to continue.
“Next season there will be eight Ducatis and then we will see for 2025.”
Pramac Racing’s Martin and Frenchman Johann Zarco have been high on the list of MotoGP’s form riders in recent rounds and the line-up could conceivably remain unchanged for 2024.
Valentino Rossi’s Mooney VR46 team is spearheaded by Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini, with Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio riding the Gresini machines.
Moto2 frontrunner Tony Arbolino has been linked to the Gresini squad next year, but no official announcement on the satellite outfit’s line-up has been made ahead of the upcoming summer break.
