Ducati’s latest young prospect could have entered MotoGP a year earlier than expected.

Before signing for Ducati and riding for the Gresini Racing Team in the 2025 MotoGP season, Fermin Aldeguer could have made his MotoGP debut in 2024.

At the end of the 2023 Moto2 World Championship, Aldeguer was one of the hottest prospects in the paddock. The Spaniard had won five races and ended the season in third in the standings, but was 120.5 points behind Pedro Acosta.

Before the 2024 season began, Aldeguer signed a two-year deal with Ducati to ride in the MotoGP World Championship in 2025. Eventually, the 19-year-old was placed in the Gresini Racing squad alongside Alex Marquez.

But he has recently revealed that he could have entered the MotoGP World Championship a year before.

In a podcast with LS2 Europe, he revealed he was offered a chance to come to MotoGP in 2024 with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team but was persuaded by Ducati to spend one more year in Moto2.

“In 2023 they offered me the chance to move up to MotoGP with the VR46 team to start in 2024,” he said.

“I didn’t think twice. But they knew how to control both me and my manager. They offered us something better, which was to continue for another year in Moto2 and have an official contract with Ducati for 2025.

“They told me to stay calm, that in January 2024 I would sign with Ducati to become a MotoGP rider in 2025. We signed it and I started the year more relaxed, although with the pressure of having to be the Moto2 champion.

“It was the only chance I had and I was the favourite.”

Aldeguer had a difficult 2024 Moto2 season with SpeedUp Racing after the switch to Pirelli tyres. The Spaniard ended the season in fifth place after winning three races.

“I wasn’t champion because I wasn’t consistent; the championship isn’t won by the fastest.”