P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Jorge Martin’s stock is at an all-time high right now in MotoGP. Did Ducati miss a trick in passing up the chance to give him a factory ride?
After a successful season with consistent podium finishes and multiple wins, Ducati’s rivals would scoff at any notion of problems the team may have. However, the issue lies in the impressive performances of not only the factory team riders, but also those who aspire to join the team in the future. Pramac Ducati rider Jorge Martin finished behind Pecco Bagnaia in the championship, but his final-round desperation inflated the gap significantly. Despite this, Martin had a considerable performance advantage over Enea Bastianini in the races they both participated in. Talks of a potential swap between Martin and Bastianini persisted, especially if Martin had become champion. Martin disputed the existence of a contractual clause but expressed doubts about his chances of joining the factory Ducati team, stating that if he hadn’t already proven his potential, he never will. This situation is influenced by Martin’s belief that he was initially promised a spot in the factory team, only to be overlooked in favor of Bastianini.
