Fermin Aldeguer: "Having Marc Marquez is a big problem"

Fermin Aldeguer delivered a fantastic first season in MotoGP. One win and two podiums riding the Gresini team’s Ducati GP24, eighth place in the final standings, with the Borgo Panigale management set to do everything to lock down the 20-year-old from Murcia. The goal is to reach the factory team, but it might take a bit more patience before the dream comes true...

The victory in Indonesia, his first in the MotoGP class, came almost unexpectedly. It may be the beginning of a rising career, but Aldeguer isn’t satisfied. "I’m never satisfied, even when things are going well," he admitted in an interview with 'AS'. The results could certainly have been better; he paid for a bit of inexperience, a few too many mistakes, or certain qualifying sessions that went worse than he deserved. "In Brno I was very fast, but I started 18th and finished 8th, I was penalized and lost many points. In Hungary I was fighting for the podium, but I crashed. At Mugello I went straight into the gravel."

Having a Ducati certainly helps a lot, but it’s not a given for a rookie. "It’s true they say it’s the best bike," admitted Fermin Aldeguer. "But at the same time it’s one of the most complicated when it comes to adapting your riding style and becoming fast as a debutant." Then there are circumstances that add another variable... "Having Marc Marquez is a big problem" (he laughs). "But we’d all like to have that problem. Or at least I would next year."

The young Spanish talent doesn’t hide his desire to join the Ducati factory team, perhaps as early as the 2027 MotoGP season. "I have this opportunity because I have a contract with Ducati. It would be the right step, but I have to earn it with results and prove I’m ready to go to the official team." He will first have to beat the competition from his garage mate, Alex Marquez, who will have a GP26 at his disposal. But he’s not the only contender... "There are many more... Who wouldn’t bet on a Quartararo or an Acosta, for example? They’re very fast riders and perhaps their bikes aren’t up to par. But we’re the closest."