Hard to disagree, I am not sure that Pecco is more talented or better than Fabio, Marc or Mir (that one might be pushing it) at the moment. Ducati will let this season play out a bit before they make any signing me thinks. If Marquez is fit and firing and pushing for the championship, having him for next year on the red bike is better for their marketing than anyone else.
2025 Silly Season
- Thread starter mikesbytes
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Unless he proves me wrong this season, I rate Pecco lower than Fabio and Marc. He's had 2 titles that were rather spoon fed in terms of opposition (not that it is his fault) and as I have stated before, he has the record for titles with most DNF's. That wouldnt fly against competitive Fabio and Marc.
Not taking anything away from him, he is a deserved champion. But I think this year will be a critical one to cement his legacy.
Not taking anything away from him, he is a deserved champion. But I think this year will be a critical one to cement his legacy.
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2022 was clearly a Fabio choke, he would've won that championship had he been calmer and not as shortsighted, but Pecco's 4-win streak in the middle of the season was impressive and enough to make Fabs nervous. I think 2023 was a good season from Pecco, some baffling DNFs aside which remain his weak point. I rate his attrition following the Barcelona incident, after which he lost some speed and explosiveness but rode calmly and secured vital points. I was more impressed by that period than all the winning he did prior Barcelona, and perhaps he could learn a bit from that. But as you say, he'll have his bigger and toughest test this upcoming season.
He came through in the crunch both years. I agree he wouldn’t win against Rossi, Lorenzo, MM except for 2015, Stoner at his best etc, you can’t have 5 dnfs against those guys who were relentlessly consistent when they won titles.
FQ is good and deserves extra credit for winning on a Yamaha but he threw away the 2022 title and was inconsistent in 2020 when iirc he also had a good chance of winning the title, I don’t think you can rate him ahead of Bagnaia on the basis of consistency. I rather suspect he would be as fast or faster than Bagnaia on a factory Ducati though.
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MM in 2015 averaged more points per race (just slighty) than Pecco in 2022
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I've thought at looking at how close the say top 5 are in seasons to gauge some insight. The problem with that is that the racing is closer in recent years regardless of the skill difference so would be difficult to see how a champion of say 10 years ago compares with a current champion
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The-race did a 'MotoGP 2025 Rider Lineup Prediction podcast yesterday, here is what they had.
Lenovo Ducati:
Francesco Bagnaia
Enea Bastiannini
Aprilia
Jorge Martin
Marco Bezzechi (it was close between him and Aleix, and it was agreed that Aleix will likely be a test rider/ambassador)
KTM Factory
Brad Binder
Pedro Acosta
Yamaha Factory
Fabio Quartararo
Alex Rins
Repsol Honda
Luca Marina
Marc Marquez
Pramac Ducati
Femin Aldegueuer
Fabio Diganantonio
Gresini Ducati
Alex Marquez
Joan Mir
VR46 YAMAHA
Celestino Vietti
Franco Morbidelli (There was some contention as to whether Yamaha would want or allow this, and if they would want Ayumu Sasaki on the bike)
LCR Honda
Joahn Zarco (Castrol)
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu)
GasGas
Augusto Fernandez
Jack Miller
Trackhouse Aprilia
Raul Fernandez
Maverick Vinales
Interesting picks I thought.
Lenovo Ducati:
Francesco Bagnaia
Enea Bastiannini
Aprilia
Jorge Martin
Marco Bezzechi (it was close between him and Aleix, and it was agreed that Aleix will likely be a test rider/ambassador)
KTM Factory
Brad Binder
Pedro Acosta
Yamaha Factory
Fabio Quartararo
Alex Rins
Repsol Honda
Luca Marina
Marc Marquez
Pramac Ducati
Femin Aldegueuer
Fabio Diganantonio
Gresini Ducati
Alex Marquez
Joan Mir
VR46 YAMAHA
Celestino Vietti
Franco Morbidelli (There was some contention as to whether Yamaha would want or allow this, and if they would want Ayumu Sasaki on the bike)
LCR Honda
Joahn Zarco (Castrol)
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu)
GasGas
Augusto Fernandez
Jack Miller
Trackhouse Aprilia
Raul Fernandez
Maverick Vinales
Interesting picks I thought.
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Any prediction on Marc is brave and a delay in placing him will slow up the second signings
I seem to remember Ai being on the fast track to move up but he got injured. If he bounces back this year I don't think it's a stretch to say he'll get moved up.
Is Brad Binder in any trouble of being demoted from the Factory KTM? He is 28, older than Martin, Pecco, Fabio etc and just as importantly was embarrassed by Pedrosa’s at Misano. Could the factory be looking past him to potentially sign Marquez/Martin/Quartararo and demote him to GasGas? Binder has only had one race win and 10 podiums on a race winning worthy and podium worthy bike in 4 seasons. I know they want to keep him but they needs to keep Acosta by putting him in the factory seat and why not get a proven championship contender?
I am predicting that Marquez ends up on a factory Ducati unless he wants to stay at Grisini on a full factory bike with a factory contract and factory engineers with input etc in a team with his brother. But I see the red bike being a more realistic option. I just think he is too marketable not for Ducati whose bike he already seems to like not to get him on their factory team as long as he is competitive this year.
I am predicting that Marquez ends up on a factory Ducati unless he wants to stay at Grisini on a full factory bike with a factory contract and factory engineers with input etc in a team with his brother. But I see the red bike being a more realistic option. I just think he is too marketable not for Ducati whose bike he already seems to like not to get him on their factory team as long as he is competitive this year.
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It's difficult to see Binder loosing his factory seat but as you point out there could be competition for it, its going to be an interesting silly season.
I like your logic on the Grensini full factory option for MM
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He's been a KTM rider all his career from what I recall (i'm counting junior categories too). They love him. Like Mikesbytes, I can;t see them demoting him, but this is KTM. I would think if they bring Acosta to the factory team, they would want some consistency though. I understand what you are saying about getting a proven championship contender but 1. Modern MotoGP has shown it is hard for riders to switch bikes and be competitive right away. 2. Binder has years of KTM experience and knows the bike, which is good for development. Suzuki got bitten hard in 2017 when they swapped both riders, one for a rookie who didn't know better, and the other rider was experienced with another manufacturer. As a result they made a bad engine choice and it badly affected their performance that yr.
I can see Marc wanting a full factory setup at Gresini, but it's doubtful they can provide that. They already provide 2 factory bikes to Pramac and refused to supply a 3rd to VR46 for Bezzechi. I don't suppose Alex would be happy about not getting one either. I think more likely than Gresini getting a factory bike, Marc would be offered a Pramac.
Either way, Marc, Jorge or Enea are going to lose out in the game of Ducati musical chairs.
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KTM won't demote Binder unless he has a total stinker of a season, which is unlikely. KTM will try to get Marc I'm sure (if only for the Red Bull connection). The problem is what happens to that second KTM seat, does Marc get it, or Acosta? would any of them be OK with being in a satellite with a lower salary? Acosta could accept but there's also that stipulation in his contract that makes him a free agent if he doesn't get promoted to the factory KTM seat. KTM could re-negotiate a new deal with Pedro to keep him at GasGas with better conditions. But if Marc doesn't go there, it's one less headache for the Austrian manufacturer.
For Marc to get a full factory setup at Gresini, he needs to bring some sponsors to foot the bill. If he commits for another two years, sponsors will come, but he will have to ride for a low salary regardless. I don't think he'll end up in Pramac because Ducati would feel nervous about somebody outside the factory winning the championship, which is the same reason I don't think he'll get full factory support if he remains in Gresini. He'll be aiming for return to a factory seat, anything that isn't Yamaha but I don't see a return to Honda yet, I believe they won't be ready to fight for top spots so soon, but it's the fallback option for Marc if everything else fails.
I think Enea will be out unless he fights for the championship until the end. People are sure he'll regain his 2022 level but I have yet to see, he's very good riding around Sepang and Losail so I reserve my judgement until I see him in other tracks. He's either Aprilia bound or rebounds to Gresini/Pramac.
As for Jorge, I think his relationship with Ducati has soured a bit and viceversa, he feels slighted about not getting a factory seat and he's made his complains known, Ducati probably wants someone who gives fewer headaches in team dynamics as well. I believe he has his mind set on leaving already.
Quartararo either remains in Yamaha, signs for Aprilia or does a Marc and goes to a satellite Duc. Pramac would be good for him.
For Marc to get a full factory setup at Gresini, he needs to bring some sponsors to foot the bill. If he commits for another two years, sponsors will come, but he will have to ride for a low salary regardless. I don't think he'll end up in Pramac because Ducati would feel nervous about somebody outside the factory winning the championship, which is the same reason I don't think he'll get full factory support if he remains in Gresini. He'll be aiming for return to a factory seat, anything that isn't Yamaha but I don't see a return to Honda yet, I believe they won't be ready to fight for top spots so soon, but it's the fallback option for Marc if everything else fails.
I think Enea will be out unless he fights for the championship until the end. People are sure he'll regain his 2022 level but I have yet to see, he's very good riding around Sepang and Losail so I reserve my judgement until I see him in other tracks. He's either Aprilia bound or rebounds to Gresini/Pramac.
As for Jorge, I think his relationship with Ducati has soured a bit and viceversa, he feels slighted about not getting a factory seat and he's made his complains known, Ducati probably wants someone who gives fewer headaches in team dynamics as well. I believe he has his mind set on leaving already.
Quartararo either remains in Yamaha, signs for Aprilia or does a Marc and goes to a satellite Duc. Pramac would be good for him.
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Some of the Satellite teams will have their bike contracts end at the end of this season so there's the possibility of a bike change, for example Gresini could change to KTM who was desperate to get extra bikes for this season giving a KTM lineup along the lines of;
KTM factory
Acosta
Binder
Gresini KTM
Marquez
Marquez
Gas Gas KTM
Miller
?
KTM factory
Acosta
Binder
Gresini KTM
Marquez
Marquez
Gas Gas KTM
Miller
?
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Pecco signs for another 2 years. No suprise there.
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I agree, not surprising at all except for 2 weeks ago they said they were in no rush haha.
Updated list.
Lenovo Ducati
Francesco Bagnaia
Enea Bastiannini
Red Bull KTM
Brad Binder
Jack Miller
Aprilia Racing
Aleix Espargaro
Maverick Vinales
Repsol Honda
Joan Mir
Luca Marini
Monster Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo
Alex Rins
Gas Gas
Augusto Fernandez
Pedro Acosta
Pramac Ducati
Jorge Martin
Franco Morbidelli
VR46 Ducati
Marco Bezzechi
Fabio Digianantonio
Gresini Ducati
Alex Marquez
Marc Marquez
Trackhouse Racing Aprilia
Miguel Oliveira
Raul Fernandez
LCR Honda
Johann Zarco
Takaagi Nakagami
3rd KTM Team (Husqvarna?)
?
?
Updated list.
Lenovo Ducati
Francesco Bagnaia
Enea Bastiannini
Red Bull KTM
Brad Binder
Jack Miller
Aprilia Racing
Aleix Espargaro
Maverick Vinales
Repsol Honda
Joan Mir
Luca Marini
Monster Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo
Alex Rins
Gas Gas
Augusto Fernandez
Pedro Acosta
Pramac Ducati
Jorge Martin
Franco Morbidelli
VR46 Ducati
Marco Bezzechi
Fabio Digianantonio
Gresini Ducati
Alex Marquez
Marc Marquez
Trackhouse Racing Aprilia
Miguel Oliveira
Raul Fernandez
LCR Honda
Johann Zarco
Takaagi Nakagami
3rd KTM Team (Husqvarna?)
?
?
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Perhaps Bagnaia could of got more money elsewhere but staying is the best option for winning
