Double Moto2 world champion Zarco signed direct with Ducati last year to join the Avintia satellite team – a move Ducati worked hard to convince after the French sacked the team as “not a top team” would have.
The relationship between Zarco and Ducati has evolved since then, and the brand promoted him to Pramac’s factory engineering for 2021 – where he took three podiums and third overall, 12 points behind the championship lead.
Zarco is expected to stay with Pramac in 2022, while an announcement of Ducati’s continued partnership with the team is imminent.
However, the VR46 roster has been linked to Ducati, effectively taking over the motorcycles of the outgoing Avintia team.
When asked if he was concerned that Ducati’s treatment of Pramac might change if VR46 were to become a satellite for the Italian brand, Zarco said, “The relationship between Pramac and Ducati is really good, but it may be that some business will take over when it happens.
“But everyone plays their card and I think Pramac is well integrated too and if it happens that way it won’t be in the near future.
“So I have at least two or three years to play up front and then we’ll see.
“But if VR46 takes the lead at Ducati, it won’t be immediately for me.
“And [Ducati general manager Gigi] Dall’Igna is still the boss, and sometimes you can see that he’s not just a businessman; he is a racing driver.
“I think that the relationship that has been created cannot be so destroyed by the arrival of Rossi.”
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Regarding his own future during the French Grand Prix weekend, Zarco says his priority has been to stay with Ducati and Pramac as he will “lose too much time” in his pursuit of the MotoGP title if he does the again Motorcycles changes.
“We need to talk about it soon, but we haven’t talked about it yet,” he added.
“After that, my goal is to stay with them [Ducati] because in my pursuit of the title I lose too much time when I change a wheel again … and I have no time to lose!
“So the goal is to stay with Ducati and even with Pramac because we are good with the team and they can play for the title.
“I hope to go in that direction and that’s why I try to do my best – and that it’s mutual: that I want to stay and that they want to keep me [too]. “
Ducati confirmed on Tuesday morning that Jack Miller will stay alongside Francesco Bagnaia with his factory team for 2022.