In the MotoGP paddock's worst kept secret, Marc Marquez's replacement at Gresini has finally been revealed as Moto2 sensation Fermin Aldeguer will join the team from 2025.
Aldeguer was announced as a factory-contracted Ducati rider in March, signing a two-year deal with an option for two further seasons in January, and with confirmation that he would receive the latest factory-spec bikes in 2026.
However, there has been considerable turmoil inside the Ducati operation since Aldeguer's deal, which has complicated his eventual MotoGP ascension and left plans of where he would end up on the backburner.
That included a factory seat shoot-out between Marquez - who won that battle and joins the works team next year - and now Aprilia-bound Jorge Martin to resolve, plus the long-running saga of current top tier satellite team Pramac's future, and it eventually decided to defect to Yamaha for next season.
But, with every other Ducati seat on the grid bar one at VR46 now filled (and with Franco Morbidelli expected to take over from Marco Bezzecchi there), it’s been an open secret that Aldeguer would eventually land at Gresini to replace Marquez.
Aldeguer will join Marc's brother Alex, who will remain at the team next year.
“I’m extremely happy to be joining the Gresini family,” he said in a team statement on Wednesday.
“This is an incredible opportunity to make my MotoGP debut with the best bike on the grid and with a fantastic team that has had plenty of iconic riders.
“I hope to get to grips quickly with the GP24: we’ll need to approach it step by step, but I cannot wait for the first test of the new season in Valencia. I’d like to thank Nadia [Padovini] and Gigi [Dall’Igna] for their trust, which will be repaid.”
Aldeguer has had something of a rocky time in the middleweight class since his deal was announced. Incredibly strong at the end of 2023 with four wins in a row to finish the season, his form has dropped since Moto2’s adoption of Pirelli tyres.
Still twice a race winner in 2024, he’s nonetheless been considerably less consistent this year, especially against fellow Boscoscuro-run racers Sergio Garcia, Ai Ogura and Alonso Lopez, who currently sit first, second and fourth in the championship respectively, with Garcia now 50 points clear of Aldeguer in fifth.
The announcement also contained additional good news for Gresini with Ducati Corse boss Dall’Igna also taking the opportunity to confirm that the team will remain a part of Ducati’s operation until the end of the current rulebook in 2026.
“We’re very happy to extend our partnership with the Gresini family until 2026,” said the veteran engineer Dall’Igna.
“The team led by Nadia Padovani has managed to achieve great goals in recent years while showing all its strength and professionalism.
Welcome to the family @Aldeguer54! #GresiniRecords coming soon... pic.twitter.com/7EHk1i1Lb7
— Gresini Racing (@GresiniRacing) August 28, 2024
“Team Gresini Racing also brought several riders – some of them very young – to winning ways. This is why we’re sure that this is the ideal squad to welcome Fermin Aldeguer and to accompany him in his MotoGP debut season.”
Whether that means that Aldeguer will remain with the team for 2026 as well is still up in the air - but given the loss of Pramac, it hints that Gresini might be rewarded with a current-spec factory bike in two years’ time for Aldeguer should his rookie season go well.
Currently providing four current machines to their factory team and to Pramac, that will be reduced to three for 2025, with only Fabio Di Giannantonio set to receive one outside the works team, at VR46, as things stand.
