Explained: Jorge Martin’s exit clause - and his Ducati/Yamaha choice

The Pramac Racing rider can exercise the clause from July, if he receives an offer from an official team, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

And Martin is the “first candidate” that Yamaha’s managing director Lin Jarvis will look to for 2024.

Franco Morbidelli’s Yamaha seat for next season is coming under increasing pressure despite being named as Jarvis’ No1 option several weeks ago.

Yamaha gave WorldSBK rider Toprak Razgatlıoglu a test on their MotoGP bike, but it is reportedly now Martin who they would like to tempt across.

Last year, Martin was overlooked in favour of Enea Bastianini for a set up from Ducati’s satellite teams to its factory squad.

He is still contracted at Ducati for 2024 - albeit with a clause which could result in his exit to another factory team.

But Martin has doubts about going to Yamaha

The Spanish rider has profited from the Desmosedici, the best machinery on the 2023 grid, this season. He won the sprint race at the French MotoGP and sits fourth in the MotoGP standings, only 14 points behind championship-leader Francesco Bagnaia.

Yamaha, however, “continues not to keep its promises by the engineers”, the report states.

This is a “technical impasse” which leaves Martin doubting whether to activate his contractual clause and go to Yamaha.

Martin implied at Le Mans that would still be a Pramac rider next season, saying: “It will be next year at this stage [that we will look for a seat]… I'm not in a hurry.”

The knock-on effect is whether Yamaha keep faith in Morbidelli or look elsewhere for a replacement.

Ducati’s position is very simple.

“We don't know about next year but at the moment he's on a winning bike and I think he'd like to stay because he likes to win,” sporting director Paolo Ciabatti said.