Valentino Rossi Slams Ducati - 'Riders Feel Betrayed'

Valentino Rossi, the MotoGP veteran, openly criticized Ducati’s recent decision to bring Marc Marquez into their factory team for 2025, describing the move as a betrayal to the team’s current riders. Rossi, who heads the VR46 Academy, revealed his discontent in a recent interview with L’Equipe, reflecting a broader unrest among Ducati riders.

The controversy revolves around a shift in Ducati’s strategy. Initially, the plan was to elevate Jorge Martin to the factory team. This trajectory took a sharp turn when Ducati signed Marc Marquez, previously from Honda, after he turned down an offer from Pramac for a works bike. The news broke during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, which subsequently pushed Martin to move to Aprilia for the 2025 season.

Rossi criticized the decision, questioning its rationale and its timing, as quoted by Paddock-GP.

“I have not finished understanding it,” Rossi remarked. “Ducati had an interesting system in place, with a pyramid that allowed young riders to progress. That’s how Pecco was brought up, and both Martin and Marco Bezzecchi were also waiting for it. And suddenly Ducati decided to bring Marc in.”

These developments left other riders feeling sidelined, disrupting what was a functional developmental pyramid within the team.