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Pramac, the reigning MotoGP champion, is preparing to formally part ways with Ducati in 2025, ending a 20-year relationship to join Yamaha’s rebuilding project.

News that the switch will be confirmed soon was first reported by Sky Italy. The race team learned that Pramac made its final decision on Wednesday and is likely to make an official announcement at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday.

Big boost for Yamaha

Although Pramac has another year to keep his connection with Ducati, rumors of a move away began circulating before the start of the 2024 season, with Yamaha boss Len Jarvis stating during the factory team launch at Sepang pre-season testing that Pramac was one of his main targets.

This comes amid Yamaha’s expressed desire to expand its presence on the grid, which is seen as a key element in getting the M1 back to championship winning ways after three difficult seasons since Fabio Quartararo won the title in 2021.

Yamaha has only been represented by its two factory bikes since the RNF switched to Aprilia for 2023. Every other manufacturer has at least one satellite team and Ducati – before losing Pramac – had three teams.

It showed that Quartararo was serious about doing what needed to be done to improve the bike which meant Yamaha was able to retain his services for another two years. Doubling the amount of data you get by recovering two satellite points will be another important component of this recovery.

How Ducati lost Pramac

However, with Pramac enjoying close links with Ducati spanning more than two decades, it was no easy task, especially with Paolo Campinotti’s team currently leading the riders’ championship standings with Jorge Martin.

However, Ducati’s market machinations appear to have given Pramac the impetus it needed to withdraw, as not only was Martin out for next year, but he also missed out on the opportunity to sign Marc Marquez when Ducati conceded his demands and promoted him to the factory team above Martin – who subsequently walked away Completely abandon Ducati and join the arms of Massimo Rivola at Aprilia.

Current VR46 Ducati rider Marco Pizzicchi who now joins Martin at Aprilia was perhaps the last straw in convincing Pramac that there was no way Ducati could now supply another title caliber rider to replace the rider it is losing.

Combined with the significant financial offer that Yamaha is believed to have made to Pramac as well, making the decision to switch becomes much easier. It is believed that its new M1 machine will come for free, rather than the multi-million euro leasing deal that Pramac currently has with Ducati.

Now that the machinery deal is done, the next step is to see what impact it will have on the riders’ market – with potentially major repercussions given Yamaha’s wants differ from what Ducati needs.

Passenger question

Had it stayed with Ducati, one of Pramac’s 2025 riders would likely have been Moto2 rider Fermin Aldeguer, who Ducati signed to a factory deal on the back of his 2023 form even before this season began.

He is now likely to land at Gresini to replace Marquez or at VR46 instead of Bezzecchi.

So, there are two promising seats available in the Pramac-run M1 machines that may be more attractive to more experienced racers given Yamaha’s need for data and development.

This could potentially open doors to names like Bezzecchi’s VR46 teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio (an Italian who could be promising for the team commercially), Trackhouse Aprilia rider Miguel Oliveira, or even 2020 world champion Joan Mir if his talks to stay with Repsol Honda go to nothing. .