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It's still not official, but it's a done deal: Pramac is an official team, or rather: it's the Yamaha extended factory team. Paolo Campinoti is the one who told us, as he harpoons us in the pitlane at Assen where, shouting among the roars of the engines, he tells us about his decision, how it came about, and why he broke it off with Ducati, a partnership that had lasted since 2005.
"What I'd like to make clear right away is that it wasn't about the money, as you had said. In fact, in the short term, I'll be losing out, because I won't be getting the variable I have from sponsors. I obviously don't thinking we'll be able to get the same results that we were used to."
A union with those in Iwata that's starting out on a very good foundation.
"It's a seven-year contract. These two and five with the new bike. Yamaha convinced me with its project. They're a glorious constructor that has won a lot, and they won they're last title just three years ago with Quartararo. They're working a lot, even in Italy, with Marmorini and Max Bartolini. It won't be immediate, but they'll have a comeback and win, because they always have."
Campinoti stopped talking about the satellite teams.
"This concept no longer exists. Look at KTM. In 2025, they'll have four official bikes, same sponsor, same color. Like Pit Beirer said, the first one in the standings will be in charge. So Pramac will be an extended factory team, with the exact same bike as Quartararo. In this sense, I didn't understand Jorge Martin. What was he missing? He's won races, he's leading the championship and, last year, he lost it at the last one, in Valencia."
Paolino speaks with enthusiasm in a voice that we haven't heard in a long time. He's enraptured by this new adventure and, especially because the industrialist from Siena is a great fan. But he can't deny that this adventure wouldn't have begun if, at Mugello, Marc Marquez had said yes to him.
"Yes that's true. If Marquez had said yes, I would've welcomed him, also with enthusiasm. How could I have otherwise? But the choice Ducati has made now, though, is to get Cristiano Ronaldo. Pramac, on the other hand, was born to support the growth of young people. We did it with Iannone, Miller, Petrucci, Bagnaia, Martin. We weren't born to win the world title, even if we came very close, and we'll try again this year. We'll continue in our mission with young people in Yamaha."
But which ones? By now the top guns are all committed to the factory teams. Names are circulating, like Di Giannantonio and Andrea Iannone.
"Who are we going to get? If you talk to me about Iannone, you get me straight in my heart. I've spoken with Andrea, and I count on organizing a test with him with Yamaha. Then we'll see. It won't be easy because the MotoGP pool is full of sharks now. It's not his time anymore. The young guys are now going really strong. We'll see, though. Meanwhile, we're negotiating, and we're close to Di Giannantonio."
He paused a moment. The morning session is ending and Paolino Campinoti returns to the origin of his decision to leave Ducati.
"I held back for a long time because of my personal, deep friendship with Gigi Dall'Igna. It took me time to metabolize. But I made up my mind when I saw that Bastianini's overtaking of Martin, at Mugello, aroused incredible enthusiasm in the Ducati garage. I understand Tardozzi, but there was also Claudio Domenicali, Milicia, everyone, in short ... but why, isn't Martin one of their riders?"
