Ducati’s Gamble: Did They Jump the Gun on Fermin Aldeguer Amid Moto2 Struggles?

Did Ducati make a premature decision regarding their 2025 star rider?

Ducati's new recruit is underperforming in Moto2 during the 2024 season.

Fans of 1990s pop culture have had an exciting week. Firstly, Oasis revealed that they are reuniting for a series of concerts in 2025. Then, on Wednesday morning, Gresini Racing unveiled Fermin Aldeguer’s MotoGP promotion with a parody of Nirvana’s Nevermind album cover.

In a twist of irony, Aldeguer was born a decade after the release of Definitely Maybe and 13 years following Nirvana’s iconic album. As a result, Gresini's social media post might be quite perplexing for the 19-year-old Spanish rider.

Gresini Racing announced on August 28, 2024, that @Aldeguer54 has joined their team. They also teased that #GresiniRecords will be released soon.

Forget about it. Aldeguer's transition to Gresini has been widely known for several weeks, as Ducati's lineup for 2025 is finalizing. However, the situation surrounding Aldeguer's future is quite different now compared to when the initial reports surfaced that Ducati had secured him with a two-year factory contract for 2024.

During that period, it was believed—and probably anticipated by Ducati's leadership—that Aldeguer would secure a spot with Pramac, riding a GP25. However, Marc Marquez's decision to reject a promotion to Pramac, which caused significant changes in the rider market earlier this summer, led to some reconsideration.

Ducati has announced their intention to have just three factory bikes in 2025, with riders Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez, and Fabio Di Giannantonio at VR46, aiming to reduce the burden on emerging young racers.

Aldeguer is set to inherit the GP24, currently considered the top-performing bike in MotoGP. This allows him to concentrate on riding without having to be concerned with its development, providing a significant advantage.

However, both Aldeguer's position among promising riders and his situation with his bike and team have evolved.

Demonstrating bursts of speed during a partial season in 2022 on a Boscoscuro chassis in Moto2, Aldeguer continued to exhibit this performance throughout a full-time season in 2023. This consistent display of skill significantly boosted the excitement surrounding him.

In 2023, he secured five victories, with triumphs in the last four races propelling him to third place in the rankings. By early 2024, he had signed a contract to join the Ducati factory team in MotoGP for the upcoming season.

In 2024, Aldeguer’s season showcases how the rush to secure young talent is causing issues for MotoGP manufacturers. Aldeguer is in fifth place following the Austrian Grand Prix, trailing championship leader Sergio Garcia by 50 points.

He has secured two victories so far, matching the achievements of other contenders at this point in the championship. However, avoidable mistakes have cost him at least two additional wins. In Barcelona, he frequently went beyond the track boundaries, resulting in a long lap penalty. While attempting to serve this penalty, he crashed as he entered the loop after Turn 1. A similar infraction in Assen led to the loss of yet another potential win.

Since the summer hiatus, Aldeguer managed to finish in 12th place at the British Grand Prix and failed to make any notable impact in Austria.

Although he has acknowledged difficulties in getting used to the Pirelli tires this season, he can no longer use this as an excuse since all competitors are dealing with the same issue.

Aldeguer rises to the occasion as a rider like Sergio Garcia, who is currently at the top of the Moto2 rankings and uses the same Boscoscuro chassis as his compatriot, has to stay in the intermediate category for at least one more season.

However, he made a strong impression when it mattered most, leading Ducati to base its decision entirely on his 2023 performance. There's no criticizing them for that.

Is Aldeguer a low-cost risk with potential benefits?

“I believe Fermin is among the quickest racers of the new generation,” Bagnaia remarked earlier this season. “I think he accomplished incredible feats in the final stages of last season.”

"Last year during a race, he really stood out to me, especially during the qualifying session at Phillip Island. He posted a lap time that, just two or three years ago, would have been good enough for the second or third row in MotoGP. It was truly remarkable."

The speaker believes that if he and his team remain composed and take things step by step, he can perform excellently without feeling pressured. They see strong potential in him.

Bagnaia's comment about pressure is relevant because Aldeguer is entering a scenario where, theoretically, he won't face immediate intense scrutiny.

A contract lasting two years ensures his employment stability, and the Gresini team has proven to be a supportive environment for young riders who may have entered MotoGP prematurely. Di Giannantonio serves as an excellent role model for both Aldeguer and Ducati.

In 2022, Di Giannantonio moved up to MotoGP with the Gresini team, despite still needing more experience in Moto2, and faced significant challenges. The change to crew chief Frankie Carchedi, who previously secured the MotoGP championship with Joan Mir in 2020 and currently collaborates with Marc Marquez, had a major positive impact on Di Giannantonio. However, it wasn't until the second half of the 2024 season that this improvement became evident.

A remarkable performance in the last races, highlighted by his inaugural victory in Qatar, revitalized his career, leading to VR46 providing him with a spot. Consequently, his achievements in 2024 have earned him one of the three factory Ducati seats for 2025, along with a fresh two-year contract with VR46.

Aldeguer is expected to collaborate with Carchedi at Gresini, a strategic decision that could aid in the Spaniard's development. Despite the argument that he may be less deserving of his MotoGP promotion now compared to when he initially signed the contract earlier this year, it would benefit Ducati to provide him with substantial support to avoid the perception of a premature decision.

Despite the speculation that his contract is valued at approximately €300,000 annually, he represents a relatively low-cost gamble with the possibility of significant returns.

This perspective might seem pessimistic, but it's the reality that Aldeguer has brought upon himself by not performing up to expectations in the Moto2 season so far. Nevertheless, the talented racer we saw in 2023 is still within him. Although 2024 hasn't been favorable for him, winning five grand prix races, including four consecutively, is not just a matter of luck.

He won't be the first newcomer in recent years to rise to the challenge despite inconsistent performances. Fabio Quartararo's selection for Petronas SRT in 2019 surprised many due to his unimpressive junior career.

However, the team noticed that the rider, who had been exceptionally dominant before joining the Grand Prix, was still capable of that performance level. They believed he could be as successful as Marc Marquez with the right encouragement.

It is simply a coincidence that both have competed with the Speed Up team.

Nevertheless, Ducati remains optimistic about achieving similar success with Aldeguer. The recent experience with Di Giannantonio serves as a clear example that patience and proper backing can lead to significant outcomes.

Discover More

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Site Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to reproduce text, images, or illustrations, whether in full or in part, in any manner.