Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin stay at Pramac Ducati for 2022

Pramac Ducati has announced that both its current riders, Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin, will remain with the team for the 2022 season.

The pair are contracted directly to Ducati, with rookie Martin in the first year of a two-year deal while Zarco's present contract expired at the end of this season.

Zarco is currently second in the world championship standings behind Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo, with three podiums, while Martin stunned with a pole position and rostrum in Qatar before sustaining multiple injuries in Portimao.

The Spaniard will return, after missing three rounds, at Catalunya this weekend.

As has been the case since the start of 2020, both Pramac riders will continue to have access to the latest Ducati machinery next season.

"Johann and Jorge this year have inserted themselves very well in the Pramac Racing team," said Ducati Corse sporting manager Paolo Ciabatti.

"For this reason, together with Paolo Campinoti and Francesco Guidotti, we have decided to proceed with them into 2022.

"We will put at the disposition of both the official bikes for next season as well. We are certain that they will provide us with many satisfactions."

With Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller confirmed at the Official Ducati team next season, and now Zarco and Martin with Pramac, attention turns to the other satellite Ducati entries.

There could be as many as eight Desmosedicis on the grid in 2022 if VR46, which is effectively taking over the Avintia Ducati grid places, continues with the Italian machines while Gresini is also hotly rumoured to be close to a Ducati deal as it switches from Aprilia's factory partner back to a fully Independent team.

It seems likely that the other Ducati teams will run the GP21s being used by the Factory and Pramac squads this season.