At Ducati, the game of musical chairs was launched with the formalization of Jack Miller in the factory team for 2021, and an option for 2022. Which is short, but there is a reason for this that we will discover . For the moment, the one left standing is Danilo Petrucci, while a place at Pramac is now free. But you need a particular profile to qualify for it. Carlo Pernat describes him, and he does not correspond to Johann Zarco, to the Ducati contract and placed at Avintia…
At Ducati, we launched the organization of its organizational chart for 2021. All with the idea of a budgetary constraint imposed at the end of the pandemic of Coronavirus which opens onto an economic crisis. An atmosphere which weighs down negotiations on the renewal ofAndrea Dovizioso. Waiting, Jack Miller was made official for a red jumpsuit. For one year only. For what ? “ At Ducati they have always had two-year contracts, but they have changed strategy for the official team and for Pramac. At Ducati they hope to pull a new Stoner out of the hat and, therefore, they always want a free place " Explain Carlo Pernat.
The columnist on GP One, driver manager and former sporting director at Aprilia knows the environment well. It remains that with this strategy, Ducati is also exposed. Imagine that the pilot with the one-year contract turns out to be Fabio Quartararo... With the obligation of only one season, he can go elsewhere as quickly as he arrived...
But it is so with Ducati. Where there is a free place at Pramac. She will not be for Danilo Petrucci who will have to go to WSBK if he wants to continue riding a Ducati: “ Danilo has three leads at the moment. The first is that of Superbike with Ducati which will formalize an offer for the next two years. The second is that of Aprilia but we will have to see the situation of Iannone. While third could be to go to Lucio Cecchinello's team, but Honda will have veto power on that seat in case Crutchlow stopst”. And in this case, far from being certain, Honda will undoubtedly look more towards Pol Espargaro...
A disappointing Bagnaia would open up a second opportunity at Pramac
From then on, at Pramac, it will be a young person, alongside bagnaia who, however, must be careful: “ Bagnaia's contract expires at the end of the year and if he repeats a season like last year, I don't think Ducati will confirm it. So for next year, there may be two handlebars at Pramac in 2021. Martin is an option, then there are the different Bastianini and Baldassarri » comments Carlo Pernat.
Two young people at once, that would be a risk. In fact, it would take a veteran, and we immediately think of John Zarco, already in the Ducati catalog. But Carlo Pernat cools our ardor: “ I really think not. He could go to Pramac but the policy now is to look for young people, we are in a period of aging of MotoGP. Johan only went strong with Yamaha, he never adapted to KTM and Honda ».
One last note, especially on the Honda, which is worth discussing. But this unfavorable opinion of Carlo Pernat also serves to advance an option dear to the Italian and to some at Ducati: a resounding return ofAndrea Iannone in his old team. He will still have to win his appeal regarding his conviction suspending him until June 2021 due to doping.
