“It’s not an option for me”

This comes following reports this morning, first from Gazzetta dello Sport, that Ducati has decided to promote Jorge Martin to its factory team seat for 2025.

Ducati had already outlined this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix as the place to make its decision, though said earlier this week that it wouldn’t make an announcement.

Over the last few rounds, it has become clear that the battle for the seat alongside double world champion Francesco Bagnaia was between Martin and Marquez.

While championship leader Martin has only strengthened his claims this year after finishing runner-up in the standings in 2023, Marquez’s form on the Gresini-run GP23 has complicated Ducati’s decision.

Martin insists his staying with Ducati hinges on a factory team seat, but Marquez’s speed in 2024 after just six rounds, coupled with his marketing might, made the former possibility far from certain.

With Martin nearing signing the deal to be promoted to the factory team, the next move for Ducati is convincing Marquez to take a factory bike at Pramac for 2025.

However, speaking to DAZN, Marquez has ruled out this possibility: “Ducati has not told me that I am not the chosen one.

“I am doing my best on the track because then I will have more options.

“Pramac is a good team, but it is not an option for me, because it is not.

“I am a man with clear ideas. What I want is the latest version of the motorcycle, and if possible, with an official team.

“If you have the official motorcycle you have more support, and if on top of that, you do it with an official team, then still more.”

Marquez had already initially explained about the prospect of joining Pramac that it was not his preferred choice but had appeared to soften to this idea in recent weeks, given it would still mean having a factory bike.

Marquez is thought to have received a tempting offer from the Pierer Mobility Group (KTM/GasGas) for 2025, but it remains unclear at this stage if the six-time MotoGP world champion really would walk away from Ducati to try to adapt to a second new bike in as many years.