MotoGP: Bagnaia Joins Ducati Works Team as Zarco and Martin Line Up at Pramac

Ducati Corse have announced more details on their 2021 MotoGP riders as managing director Claudio Dominicali underlined the marque’s “constant desire to improve”.

Francesco Bagnaia will be promoted to the factory team following a promising 2020 campaign that saw him bag his maiden podium.

Pramac Ducati will meanwhile sport an all-new rider line-up with Johann Zarco joining from the Avinitia outfit and Jorge Martin stepping up from Moto2.

Bagnaia Gains Factory Promotion

Pramac rider Pecco Bagnaia has been confirmed with the Ducati works squad for 2021. The 23-year-old will share the garage with his current teammate Jack Miller in an exciting and youthful line-up.

He replaces fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso who announced his departure from the Bologna factory during the Austrian GP.

After underachieving in his debut premier class season in 2019, the former Moto2 champion has been on the rise in the current campaign.

Hopes of a maiden podium in Jerez were ended by a mechanical issue before a fractured leg caused him to miss three races. Baignaia returned to the paddock at his home round at Misano and, despite still walking on crutches, he bagged a dream maiden rostrum in P2.

A week later, the Italian was running safely in P1, but an unfortunate crash cost him what should have been a certain first MotoGP victory.

Bagnaia commented on the done deal:

“My MotoGP debut was complicated, but at Ducati they never questioned me: they gave me all the support and trust a rookie needs and they let me experience in 2019. I listened to them, I trusted them, together we learned to know and understand each other, and now we form a great team.

They taught me a working method that allowed us to take away some great satisfaction and I think this is just the beginning. Today I am the happiest person in the world, for me it is a dream come true: being an official Ducati rider has always been my ambition and I have succeeded together with all those who have always believed in me even when things did not go right.”

Francesco Bagnaia

Zarco and Martin Confirmed at Pramac

Pramac Racing have announced Johann Zarco and current Moto2 rider Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as their 2021 rider line-up.

Zarco bounced back from a disappointing stint on the KTM with impressive results aboard the GP19 Ducati within the Esponsorama Racing team. Securing pole position and a podium at Brno, the Frenchman showed great potential on the Bologna bullet.

Martin will join the premier class as one of the best riders in the intermediate category. The 2018 Moto3 champion claimed his first Moto2 win in Austria this year and was in the middle of the title fight before a positive covid-19 test sidelined him for two rounds.

Both riders will compete aboard a factory-spec GP21.

Team Owner Paolo Campinoti spoke about the 2021 prospects:

“We are happy to have reached the agreement with Johann and Jorge. We want to continue an important project that is giving us great satisfaction. The sporting qualities and the winning mentality of the two riders are extremely well known: expectations are therefore high. We know Johann well and we have a very positive feeling with him: the same will be with Jorge.”

Paolo Campinoti