Ducati MotoGP rookie reveals he was offered VR46 ride for 2024
Fermin Aldeguer could have stepped up to MotoGP sooner
MotoGP rookie Fermin Aldeguer has revealed he was offered a move to the VR46 squad for 2024, but was persuaded by Ducati to defer his debut by a year.
Aldeguer was one of the paddock’s hottest properties in 2023 as he won five races to challenge for the Moto2 crown in just his second full season in the class.
The 19-year-old was signed to a factory Ducati deal prior to the start of 2024 to step up to MotoGP this season.
Initially it was thought he would join the Pramac squad on a GP25, though these plans changed when Marc Marquez refused a works bike at the team and it ultimately ditched Ducati for Yamaha machinery.
Aldeguer was eventually placed at Gresini, though on a year-old bike for his 2025 rookie campaign. He finished his debut race in Thailand in 13th.
In a podcast with LS2 Europe, he reveals he was offered a chance to come to MotoGP in 2024 with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team but was persuaded by Ducati to spend one more year in Moto2 with the view to signing a factory contract.
“In 2023 they offered me the chance to move up to MotoGP with the VR46 team to start in 2024,” he said.
“I didn’t think twice. But they knew how to control both me and my manager.
“They offered us something better, which was to continue for another year in Moto2 and have an official contract with Ducati for 2025.”
He added: “They told me to stay calm, that in January 2024 I would sign with Ducati to become a MotoGP rider in 2025.
“We signed it and I started the year more relaxed, although with the pressure of having to be the Moto2 champion.
“It was the only chance I had and I was the favourite.”
Aldeguer struggled in 2024 with the Speed Up team, the switch to Pirelli tyres proving a major hurdle as he managed just three wins on his way to fifth in the standings.
“I wasn’t champion because I wasn’t consistent; the championship isn’t won by the fastest.”
How Fermin Aldeguer to VR46 would have been bad news for one MotoGP winner
This revelation from Aldeguer leads to an interesting look into an alternate reality for MotoGP.
Had he accepted the VR46 move for 2024, he would have been placed alongside Marco Bezzecchi as Luca Marini was chosen to take the factory Honda seat vacated by Marc Marquez.
With the grid locked up beyond Honda and VR46 by the end of the 2023 season, one rider faced an uncertain future having just come into top form as his Gresini seat was given to Marquez.
Fabio Di Giannantonio went on a hot run in the latter stages of the season that would see him score a maiden victory at the Qatar Grand Prix for Gresini.
Former Ducati boss Paolo Ciabatti said after this it was “unacceptable” that Di Giannantonio could be left without a ride for the 2024 season.
Briefly in the picture for the factory Honda seat that would go to Marini, Di Giannantonio’s final option to save his career was the opening at VR46.
Had Aldeguer signed with VR46 instead, Di Giannantonio would have been left on the sidelines for 2024.
As it happens, Di Giannantonio’s lifeline at VR46 has proven to be fruitful as he impressed on the difficult GP23 last year with consistent top eight performances to earn a factory contract at Rossi’s team for 2025 and 2026.
