Aprilia prod back at Ducati after ‘buy the #1’ jibe
Bosses at Ducati and Aprilia jostle back-and-forth over #1 plate
The fun and games between Ducati and Aprilia has started already.
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP championship only last weekend riding for Pramac Ducati but so much has changed already.
Martin has moved to Aprilia, who he tested for in Barcelona with an #89 branded bike because he hasn’t yet decided whether he will run the #1 plate in 2025.
It means Ducati might see see their Italian rivals celebrate the reigning champion, despite him winning on their bike.
“In the FIM book, it will be written ‘2024 champion, Jorge Martin on a Ducati bike’,” Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi told TNT Sports.
“If Aprilia buy this #1, we will see if they are able to carry it on…”
Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola laughed in response: “I think we spent less than them for that number!”
Tardozzi: 'I don't know what opponents will do'
Martin - and, indeed, the entire Pramac team - have left Ducati since they won the MotoGP title in Barcelona.
But the manufacturer themselves will cling onto their domination despite factory star Pecco Bagnaia conceding the title to satellite rival Martin.
Tardozzi told TNT Sports in Barcelona: “What a year for Ducati - because Pramac is a Ducati team.
“We have seven people working there, for our factory rider. “Because Jorge is our factory rider.
“It’s true that he won less than Pecco but he got a huge amount of podiums so he deserves to lead the championship.”
Ducati will welcome Marc Marquez, who tested the GP25 at the postseason test, next year.
But Tardozzi will keep an eye on the progress of Aprilia who, after Ducati picked Marquez, were able to recruit Martin and Marco Bezzecchi.
Tardozzi warned: “Next year we have a fantastic team.
“The 2025 bike will be developed over the winter in a good way.
“But I don’t know what the opponents will do. We think we have an improvement from 2024 to 2025.
“But I don’t know how big the improvement of the others will be, especially Aprilia who have a fantastic duo - Martin and Marco Bezzecchi - and a new technical director.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
