“Wages” and “paperwork” justification offered to overlook Marc Marquez

Marc Marquez should not be moved into the factory Ducati team for financial reasons, it has been suggested.

Gresini’s Marquez and Pramac’s Jorge Martin arrive to this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP hoping to convince Ducati to promote them into their official 2025 team.

Enea Bastianini, the man currently in red whose bike Marquez and Martin dream of, is still in the mix to retain his spot.

Although the prospect of six-time MotoGP champion Marquez in the official Ducati team may be alluring, there are complications.

“I’ve been thinking about it,” broadcaster Simon Crafar said from inside the Barcelona paddock.

“I’d leave Marc where he is, because of Red Bull.

“Leave Marc where he is. He’s happy with his brother. He’s got sponsors paying his wages.

“Why try to pay his wages if someone else is?

“I would give him the bike to keep him happy. And take Enea or Jorge on.

"Imagine the paperwork to take Marc from Red Bull to Monster.

“He’s with his brother, all is going well, and someone else is paying his wages.”

Marquez’s personal sponsors do reportedly represent a hurdle, if he is to switch Gresini for the official Ducati squad.

Red Bull, one of his major personal sponsors, clash with Ducati sponsors Monster.

Marquez’s other alliances with Samsung, Allianz and Oakley could also be problematic because they are in contrast to companies that work with Ducati.

At Gresini, he has been able to transfer his personal sponsors across from Repsol Honda.

Instead, Pramac’s Martin should be finally promoted into wearing red.

He has been overlooked in each of the past two years, with Bastianini prevailing twice.

“Jorge, I think, has done enough,” Crafar said about the rider who tops the MotoGP standings after five rounds.

“I am an Enea fan but he has had terrible luck.

“Jorge has done enough and it would be sad if they didn’t give it to him.”

Bastianini won the second-most amount of races in 2022 with Gresini, to win a place alongside Francesco Bagnaia.

But his debut season was wrecked by injury and although he has shown reminders of his talent this year, it comes amid the backdrop of Marquez’s availability and Martin’s red-hot form.

“If it doesn’t happen, it will be a travesty,” Crafar said about Bastianini’s hopes of a third season with the official team.

“Because Enea is a fantastic rider who has had such bad luck since he got on that machine.

“Injured at Portimao, last year was a write off.

“Now he’s coming back. He hasn’t had the results that he needs to keep that job.

“He is riding good enough. He needs to put it all together - from qualifying, put himself in the position, don’t make a mistake, put it on the box, and do it regularly.”