All We Know About the Jorge Martin MotoGP Contract Drama
MotoGP champion Jorge Martin could split from Aprilia just months after signing. Here’s the full story behind the contract clause, his injuries, and the factory fallout.
Aprilia Racing has broken its silence with a sharply-worded statement addressing mounting speculation that Jorge Martin could walk away from his contract with the Italian manufacturer before the end of the 2026 MotoGP season.
The Noale-based squad, who signed the reigning world champion away from Pramac Ducati for 2025, insists the contract is “valid and effective” through its full duration—and that it expects both sides to honor every clause of the agreement.
“Aprilia Racing has always fulfilled the contract completely, timely, and properly,” reads the statement.
“There have been no discussions between the parties regarding any change in its duration. The contract remains in place as originally agreed.”
The timing of the announcement is no coincidence. Rumors have intensified over recent weeks that Martin—still sidelined by injuries sustained during his ill-fated Aprilia debut—may be eyeing an early departure from a project that’s stumbled out of the gate.
Reports claim Martin has already informed Aprilia of his intent to leave and has opened discussions with rival manufacturers.
Honda’s name has inevitably surfaced, particularly after Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola was seen meeting HRC’s Hikaru Tsukamoto inside the Japanese team’s hospitality unit at Le Mans.
While Honda has made no public moves for Martin, Aprilia’s language makes it clear: any team sniffing around their contracted rider will be seen as crossing a legal and ethical line.
The statement stresses that “any approach from other teams toward a contracted rider would not only be inappropriate but unlawful.”
It’s as much a warning shot as it is a public reaffirmation of commitment to the rider.
That commitment, Aprilia claims, extends beyond the contract and into Martin’s ongoing recovery.
“The entire team will continue to support Jorge in his physical rehabilitation and looks forward to his return on the RS-GP.”
But the backdrop is undeniable. After a high-profile switch that was meant to be a coup for Aprilia, the project has been derailed by injury setbacks and an RS-GP that has lost the edge it showed in 2023.
Martin missed the opening races due to a crash in pre-season testing, only to injure himself again on his return in Qatar.
New Injury! Jorge Martin to Miss MotoGP Season Opener
MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martin has suffered another big setback ahead of the 2025 season opener in Thailand.
At the same time, Aprilia has struggled to match the form that once made them genuine podium threats.
There’s also increasing talk of a performance-based release clause in Martin’s contract—one that could be triggered if Aprilia fails to meet certain competitive benchmarks.
While the team flatly denies any talks about early termination, it hasn’t addressed the clause itself.
All of this leaves the situation delicately poised. For Aprilia, losing Martin before he even completes a full season would be a brutal blow to both its sporting ambitions and the narrative it hoped to build around the Spaniard’s arrival.
For Martin, who joined after being snubbed by Ducati’s factory team, patience may already be wearing thin.
