Ducati told to delay the decision which silly season is waiting for

Ducati have been advised to delay deciding who will ride their factory bike next year.

A wild silly season is expected because the majority of MotoGP riders are coming to the end of their current contracts.

Notably Francesco Bagnaia is tied down long-term but his teammate Enea Bastianini is not.

It means the best bike on the MotoGP grid is up for grabs in 2025.

As a result, Ducati’s decision is likely to be the first domino to fall before riders to commit to other projects.

Broadcaster Gavin Emmett said to TNT Sports: “Jorge Martin will not be at Pramac next year, whatever happens. The team have said that. He has said that.

“The question then is, and he has said it himself, ‘will I be in red next year?’

“That is where he's aiming. He'd love to be in the Ducati factory red.

“The question is, do Ducati want that enough to sign him now and get it done?

“They’ve got to keep Bastianini sweet at this stage of the season and they have Marc Marquez in the wings, and if there's anyone else that lights up this year, they want to have that potential there.

“So are they going to move quickly enough for Martin to put him in red? I don't know.

“Franco Morbidelli looks unfortunately like a dead man walking at the moment.

“He's got a big year ahead of him after having missed all the pre-season to prove what he's capable of, because we all know that he has some potential.

“It's going to be a bit of a long jam.

“Marco Bezzecchi is hoping to step up onto a factory bike and you've got Fabio Quartararo apparently wanting to ride a different bike from the Yamaha.

“There's so many unknowns. That's why this silly season will be the silliest season ever.

“So what it means for Ducati is they can push these decisions down the road.

“The fact is everyone wants to be on their bikes.

“Is that going to be enough for Jorge Martin? He wants to be wanted, wants to become someone's factory rider.

“So it makes it a fascinating time in terms of contracts getting signed.”

Emmett said about Gresini rider Marquez: “Would you not want Marc Marquez, the biggest name in our sport on your bike?

“You think you’d be mad to say you don't want him.

“There’s every possibility he could win in three weeks’ time and that would set tongues wagging.

“It will be interesting to see. I mean if you're behind that Ducati team, however much you've got Bagnaia in there, you still want Marc Marquez on your bike, I believe.

“But obviously the results will have to come first.”

The third round of the 2024 season, in two weeks’ time, is at COTA - one of Marquez’s favourite circuits.