Ducati share plan to decide Enea Bastianini’s 2025 fate

Ducati have not yet decided what to do with Enea Bastianini.

Every MotoGP rider (except for Repsol Honda’s Luca Marini and KTM’s Brad Binder) will see their current contract expire at the end of this season meaning a frantic silly season is anticipated.

Ducati intend to keep hold of two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia but will not promise Bastianini his place for next year

“No. First of all, we have to finalise with Pecco,” team manager Davide Tardozzi said.

“Then we will see what’s going on in the second place.

“Enea is one of the guys that is under our eyes.

“But we will take a bit more time to decide the rider for 2025 and 2026.”

Tardozzi said about Bastianini: “It’s an important year for him after a very bad 2023.

“I think he has recovered all of his body problems.

“Mentally he is focused to be one of the contenders for this year’s championship.

“He showed in Qatar and Malaysia that he will be competitive.

“I think he will be one of the four or five guys who will play for the championship until the end.”

Bastianini earned a call-up to Ducati’s factory team ahead of Jorge Martin after winning the second-most amount of grands prix in 2022.

But his debut year in red was disrupted by injury, while Pramac’s Martin fought for the title.

Bastianini, knowing his bike is coveted (perhaps even by Marc Marquez) went second-fastest behind Bagnaia on Day 2 of the preseason Qatar test.

Bagnaia’s future is expected to remain with Ducati. He is in talks over a new contract.

“We are discussing with his management the last details,” Tardozzi said.

“We are not in a rush.

“Pecco is concentrating on the ‘24 championship and the first race in Qatar.

“We are trying to finalise it as fast as possible.

“There is no deadline. Both parties want to stay together. Pecco wants to stay at Ducati. We absolutely want Pecco to stay with us.

“It’s just a matter of time. We are trying to do it as soon as possible but there is no rush.”

The GP24 that Bagnaia and Bastianini will climb onto this year has received great feedback from riders.

Featuring a new fairing which initially took some getting used to, the bike is an ominous sign for the rest of the grid.

Tardozzi summarised his team’s machinery: “Obviously, very happy. “Here in Qatar is confirmation of what we had in Sepang, that the ‘24 bike is in the right way.

“We are considering the last few checks but the riders are very happy.

“We will come here for the race in a very good mood.

“We understand that our competitors have improved a lot. It will be a tough competition.”