The former and current riders of the Pramac team, Joan Zarco and Jorge Martin, believe that the team’s switch to Yamaha machinery will be a loss for Ducati in MotoGP next season.
Zarko spent three seasons riding for Pramac, culminating in a long-awaited MotoGP debut win at Phillip Island last year, before switching to LCR Honda this season.
The Frenchman is happy to see that the 2025 grid will be “more balanced” and thinks the battle for third to tenth places will change.
But he doesn’t expect anyone to challenge the Ducati factory team and its 2025 riders, Francesco Banja and Marco Marquez.
“It will be good for the Yamaha project. They need more bikes to develop and get more information.”said Zarko.
“It’s good to get more Japanese bikes in the championship, because now European bikes, above all Ducati, are getting too much advantage.”
“So there will be a little better balance and I hope the Japanese will close the gap to Ducati.”
“I think that Marko and Pek next year, in the top team, will be almost impossible to reach and that they will be ahead of everyone from the very start.”
“But at least from the third position to the tenth, there will be some changes and that will be good.”
“And I also think that Yamaha making improvements and getting more bikes on the grid will encourage Honda to also make changes and push themselves to find solutions.”
Martin, who made history for Pramac as his first MotoGP winner in his debut season, 2021, finished second last year and, with Zarko, delivered an unforgettable victory in the team competition for Pramac.
Martin switches to Aprilia next season.
“Well, I knew 99% already in Mugel (that Pramac would join Yamaha). I think it’s great news”he said.
“What can I say? I think all the information Pramac gives the factory is very important and Ducati will 100% notice the absence of the team next season.”
“And Pramac will really help Yamaha, not only because of the increase in the number of bikes, but also in the development process.”
Pramac has yet to recruit drivers for 2025. Fabio di Đanantonio was closely linked, but should remain in VR46, leaving the likes of Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller plus Moto2 stars Sergio Garcia and Alonso Lopes as contenders for a factory-spec M1.
The VR46 is expected to receive at least one of the factory GP25 bikes that would be allocated to the Pramac team next season.
Source: www.moto-berza.com
