Ducati sees “no problem” losing number one plate to Aprilia with Jorge Martin

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi says there is “no problem” if Jorge Martin wins the 2024 MotoGP title and takes the number one plate to Aprilia next year.

Martin’s future with Ducati was decided after the Italian Grand Prix weekend, when the marque made a U-turn on its plans to promote the Pramac rider to its factory squad for 2025 in favour of Marc Marquez.

Aprilia gained Martin’s signature for next year, with Ducati then left to face the real prospect of the Spaniard winning the world championship and taking the number one plate with him.

It’s because of this that many thought Ducati would slacken its support for Martin in his fight with Francesco Bagnaia, though the opposite has been true.

Tardozzi accepts that Martin could win the championship and then leave, but is relaxed by the fact the history books will forever show what manufacturer he won with.

“It’s obvious that if Jorge will win the title he will probably run number one, because it’s something that not every day you can have,” he told TNT Sport prior to the Malaysian GP, after which Martin took a 24-point lead in the standings.

“So, he must want it on his bike. But in the big book [of results] will be written ‘Jorge Martin - Ducati’.

“So, the number one is for the rider but the machine is Ducati.

“So, for us it’s not a problem. We will try hard to bring back [the number one] for 2026. If he wins the championship, he can bring himself the number one - but he won with the Ducati.

“So, for us, it’s no problem.”

Tardozzi added that even with Ducati facing the prospect of losing the 2024 world champion, Martin winning the title is still proof that “we did a good job” signing him from Moto2 for the 2021 season.

“Obviously, Jorge Martin is a rider that is under our contract,” Tardozzi said.

“So, we are happy in some ways. But honestly, regarding myself, I have written Ducati Lenovo [next to my name] and we will try hard to let Pecco perform in the proper way, trying to win, and we’ll see what Jorge will do.

“But in the end, again, it’s a rider that grows up with Ducati, that it’s possible he will win the championship with Ducati.

“So, in the end, we did a good job anyway choosing him from Moto2 to MotoGP.”