Martin has been asking Ducati to promote him to the factory team because he believes he deserves it. Last year, he came second in the championship, right behind Francesco Bagnaia. At first, the only person he was competing with for that spot was Enea Bastianini.
But now, with Marc Marquez joining Gresini after leaving Honda, Martin has another rival for the position. Marquez is very famous in MotoGP because he’s won six titles in MotoGP and two in lower classes. Martin thinks Ducati might choose Marquez because he’s so well-known and good for marketing.
Martin said, “I would understand it. It’s Marc Marquez, eight-time world champion, marketing-wise he’s a beast and I would understand that position.” He also mentioned that he has other options if he doesn’t get picked by Ducati.
Martin was supposed to move up to the factory team in 2023, but Ducati chose Bastianini instead. According to his contract, if Martin had won the 2023 title, he would have automatically gotten a spot on the factory team. But he fell short of that by 39 points.
Martin said he’s used to not knowing what will happen with his future. “I’m used to it. I’ve been the same for three years now, if I go; if someone else goes… So, it’s already something that doesn’t affect me,” he said. He mentioned that his team and manager are helping him figure things out.
Martin hinted before that if he doesn’t get a spot on Ducati’s factory team, he might look for a seat at another company. His team, Pramac, also hinted that 2024 could be his last season with them. Martin joked about taking a break from racing if things don’t work out, but he’s focused on winning.
“Right now my focus is on winning and having the best bike. That’s what I’m focused on. What can happen doesn’t depend on me,” he said. He mentioned that other bikes, like Aprilia and KTM, are also good options for winning races. But for now, he wants to win and keep racing.
