Ducati is rumoured to be on the verge of signing Marc Marquez to its factory team, sparking what could be a battle royal in MotoGP next year.
That would pitch six-time MotoGP champion Marquez against reigning two-time title-holder Francesco Bagnaia in a mouthwatering fight for supremacy within the best team on the grid.
Ducati had initially hoped to go with Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, currently leading the championship with Ducati satellite outfit Pramac. The latter, however, has been confirmed as an Aprilia rider for 2025, paving the way for Marquez to step back onto a factory bike.
Marquez, this year riding for another Ducati satellite team, Gresini, had apparently made it clear he did not want a switch to Pramac to replace Martin.
Ducati is said to have panicked and offered the factory seat to Marquez, forcing Martin to make his move to Aprilia, as well as leaving Bagnaia's current factory team-mate Enea Bastianini out in the cold.
It was feared Marquez, who has rediscovered the form this season that made him a formidable champion, would leave the Italian manufacturer after just one season.
Bagnaia and Marquez are great rivals and have previously fought numerous tough duels with one another, not always cleanly. It will mean Ducati's management needs to work hard next year to balance the hegemony within the team.
For Marquez, he would view a move to Ducati's factory team as a considerable victory. The Spaniard has rebounded at Gresini this year after several difficult seasons since his last MotoGP title in 2019.
At Gresini, he has shown signs of the 'old Marquez', finishing on the podium in three consecutive grands prix to leave him third in the standings, 35 points behind Martin, with Bagnaia sandwiched in between the duo.
In addition, MotoGP fans will be the winners if the switch is confirmed as they will be able to look forward to a fierce fight between Bagnaia and Marquez.
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