Bagnaia vs Martin: 2024 MotoGP title tussle gets level playing field

The MotoGP title battle between Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin is nearing its conclusion, with the final four rounds set to be a level playing field for the Ducati stars.

In a rematch of 2023, reigning double world champion Bagnaia and Pramac’s Martin head into the final four rounds of the current campaign duelling for the crown.

After last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, where Bagnaia scored his fourth double of the season, the gap between the pair has shrunk to 10 points, with Martin still heading them.

Martin will depart Ducati at the end of the 2024 season to join the factory Aprilia squad, having turned his back on his current employers when it made a U-turn on its decision to promote him to the factory team alongside Bagnaia for 2025.

Since then, it has been seen as inconceivable that Ducati would let the number one plate potentially go with Martin to Aprilia and questions have been raised about the level of support the Spaniard would receive in the second half of the season.

Ducati has always maintained it will provide the same support for Martin and Bagnaia, and new reports have doubled down on this.

According to es.motorsport.com, Ducati has ceased development of the GP24 for the remainder of the season, with the last update coming at Silverstone in August in the form of aero tweaks.

Four riders are mathematically in contention for the championship coming into the final four rounds, with Ducati guaranteed to win the title whatever happens.

Reports of Ducati ensuring machine parity between Martin and Bagnaia come just a few weeks after Bagnaia first mentioned a new chassis he tested at Misano and was keen to race as soon as possible.

In Indonesia, Bagnaia called 2024 a “championship of mistakes”, following a crash out of the lead of the sprint for Martin.

Bagnaia’s theory was that the 2024 Michelin rear tyre, with its excellent grip, pushes the front under braking more so than last year and is causing the numerous mistakes we’ve seen from the leading two in the standings.

When asked how to fix this for 2025, Bagnaia noted: “I will ask for what I tried in the [Misano] test.

“It was super good. What we tried in the test was helping a lot. Unluckily I can’t use it right now, because it could be a good help, but they are not ready to give it to all the GP24s.

“So I can’t use it. It’s a new chassis and I think it will help all of us.”

In hindsight, this comment was the first signs that Ducati had in fact ended its GP24 development.

It is thought contractually Ducati has to provide updates to all of its bikes, and with Martin - and the Pramac squad as a whole - parting way with the Italian brand next year, there’s no sense in giving future opposition a look into what is set to be a step forward for the Desmosedici.