Ducati’s next MotoGP line-up moves as Gresini keeps Alex Marquez

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Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquex will stay with the Ducati MotoGP team for at least two more seasons, so what's next for Ducati's remaining seats for 2025 amid a crowded driver market?

Marquez – who along with Gresini strongly hinted at a contract extension at last weekend's Dutch TT – will remain with the team he currently races for alongside brother Marc even after the six-time champion leaves to join the Ducati factory team for next season.

Alex, the younger Marquez, who will partner Gresini for four years at the end of his new contract, has been inconsistently fast but nonetheless a consistent race winner for the team thanks to his sprint race successes at Silverstone and Sepang in 2023.

While that potential has not been delivered at the start of 2024, team principal Nadia Padovani has insisted it is not far off.

“Alex is our pupil,” explained Padovani when announcing the new deal. “Since he joined two years ago, the synergy between him and the team has been incredible and has grown with every race.

“We know his potential. He has already shown it and he just needs consistency. Renewing with him was a clear step for us because we know his value on and off the track. The results will show this year too, I am absolutely sure of that.”

Next moves in Ducati's satellite teams

The news of Marquez's signing, even if it was expected, means there is officially one less seat left on the 2025 grid and one less Ducati machine for the factory to be able to place already-signed rookie driver Fermin Aldeguer (pictured above).

Aldeguer was expected to replace Marc Marquez at Gresini, but it is believed there are some negotiations going on there as Ducati bosses try to negotiate a place for him in the Padovani and Valentino Rossi VR46 team.

But this may largely be determined by current VR46 driver Fabio Di Giannantonio. He achieved a strong fourth place in Assen on Sunday when he needed to bolster his tally, and is now a prime target for the recently announced Pramac Yamaha team – which has switched from Ducati – despite his desire to remain with the Rossi team.

Where Ducati's factory-spec machines end up next year may also influence Aldeguer's decision, although bikes that currently belong to Pramac under contract are set to be redistributed between VR46 and Gresini in a move that could bolster Di Giannantonio's desire to stay.

There is already a vacant seat at VR46 following the confirmed departure of Marco Bezicki (pictured below) to the Aprilia factory team. But with VR46 Academy rider Franco Morbidelli likely not wanting to stay at Pramac as he moves to Yamaha, he admitted to The Race at the weekend that replacing Bizzicki is now his number one target, and he is likely to be able to secure a seat relatively painlessly.

For his part, Marquez admitted that his only real goal for 2025 is to stay with the family-run Gresini team, a place where he has been able to greatly enjoy as well as finding the necessary support structure to perform.

This was even evident in the press release announcing his new contract, in which he mocked Italian team president Padovini and their long-running debate over acceptable pizza toppings.

“Staying with Gresini was my main goal,” he said. “Since joining this team, my goal has been to constantly get closer to the best, something I have not achieved yet.

“The start of the season was not what we had hoped, but the team is strong and I know where we can go.

“So, I just want to thank Nadia for her trust, and I'm sure we'll be rewarding her with some celebratory pineapple pizza soon.”