Will Zarco be the victim of Ducati's desperation to keep Bezzecchi?
Bezzecchi’s demand for a 2024-spec Desmosedici next season can be met by Ducati if he stays with VR46, but moving him to Pramac Racing remains an option.
This is because of Mooney VR46’s potential plan to swap Ducati for Yamaha in 2025, complicating Bezzecchi’s status.
“Certainly, we are finding the best solution for Marco, for the teams we support and for the relative technical condition,” Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti told Motosprint.
“I state and confirm how much Bezzecchi interests the company, in fact, the theoretical proposal would be a two-year agreement.
“Marco would like to stay within the VR46 team, pursuing a sensible path from a competitive and professional point of view.
“At the same time, we have on our side the need to understand how to distribute the [bikes].”
Ducati’s factory duo Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, plus Pramac pair Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco, currently use up-to-date machinery.
Next season, the updated-spec bike could be given to Bezzecchi, instead of Zarco.
“There will be four GP24s, the others will race from the previous year's version,” Ciabatti said.
“The objective of directly acquiring Bezzecchi is real, in progress, however we must establish, together with Marco's management, whether the equipment will be guaranteed [with the] VR46 structure or through the Pramac team.
“It would seem like a silly matter, it's not at all."
The issue is that Ducati want to reward Bezzecchi for his breakthrough season by giving him a two-year contract with the promise of an official bike, but after one year the Mooney VR46 team might leave for Yamaha.
“I don't hide and we don't hide what I have already read and learned," Ciabatti said about the VR46-Yamaha reports.
"The negotiations between Valentino Rossi's team and Yamaha are the result of reliable rumours.
“So, precisely: if Bezzecchi wishes to stay there in 2024, what happens if in 2025 the team switches from Desmosedici to M1?
“Otherwise, if Marco were included in the Pramac team, we at Ducati would be more calm.”
Bezzecchi won his first grand prix in the premier class this season in Argentina and remains a MotoGP title contender heading into this weekend’s British MotoGP at Silverstone.
His win was also the first for Rossi’s Mooney VR46 team in the premier class.
Will Ducati lose Zarco if they reward Bezzecchi?
Ducati’s desire to hang onto Bezzecchi will create an awkward situation for Zarco, the Pramac rider.
"The situations of Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco need to be examined,” Ciabatti said.
“The Spaniard, already a winner and back in super shape, remains in his place. We are really happy to see him at the top, considering the several sufferings he experienced in the recent period.
“Now we have the rider we know, and the results explain it exhaustively.
“As for the Frenchman, I admit that we would like to keep him, as he is fast, good at testing and experienced.
“It is also true how he is no longer very young, since he is a few years older than his peers.”
Could Zarco leave Ducati?
“I sincerely hope not, we are working to have him still with us, although he has been sought out by different manufacturers and by teams outside ours.
“The current and future point regarding Johann is linked to another interesting rider: Marco Bezzecchi.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
