Aprilia Warns Off Rivals Amid Jorge Martin Exit Rumors
Aprilia Racing issues a strong statement reinforcing Jorge Martin’s binding contract through 2026, amid rising speculation about a potential early exit and Honda interest.
Jorge Martin has officially confirmed his intention to walk away from Aprilia at the end of the 2025 MotoGP season – despite only joining the team this year and racing a single grand prix for them so far.
The reigning world champion broke his silence on Thursday, releasing a detailed statement on social media explaining his version of the story.
The move had been rumoured for weeks, after it was revealed Martin had informed Aprilia management he planned to invoke a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave early – provided he wasn’t in title contention after the first six races of the season.
That clause, it turns out, has become the centre of a disagreement between Martin and Aprilia.
Martin’s contract with Aprilia was signed last year after his abrupt exit from Pramac Ducati, a team he had helped deliver the 2024 title.
It included a get-out clause after round six of the 2025 season – Le Mans – if certain performance targets weren’t being met.
The intention was to give Martin flexibility if the Aprilia project wasn’t delivering on expectations.
But things haven’t gone to plan. Martin’s 2025 campaign has been wrecked by injury, with Qatar the only round he’s contested so far.
The Italian factory insists the two-year contract remains valid through the end of 2026.
Martin, however, disagrees. In his statement, Martin made it clear he believes he is acting within the terms of the agreement.
“When we signed it, I agreed with Aprilia that if certain conditions were not met, I would reserve the right to decide my future for 2026.”
“This was an essential condition for me to accept the contract offer at that time.”
He also explained that the clause was key to accepting a two-year deal instead of a shorter commitment, allowing him to try the bike and team dynamics under real race conditions before fully committing.
Despite the injuries, Martin says his decision has been made with “respect, clarity, and the sole intention of taking control of my future as a professional athlete.”
He also revealed he had proposed to Aprilia that they extend the evaluation period, once he returns to racing, to give both sides a better chance to reassess.
“The goal is for both parties to give each other a second chance and feel comfortable before making a decision for 2026.”
There’s been no inflammatory language from either side. Martin’s statement was calm and respectful, praising the team and the bike, while Aprilia has stayed mostly quiet since the Silverstone weekend, where it reiterated its belief that the contract is binding.
“There is no conflict or blame,” Martin said. “I just want to be able to look ahead with clarity after going through very difficult moments and a serious injury, and continue giving my best on and off the track.”
If Aprilia maintains its stance, the matter could escalate – either legally or through internal pressure.
But Martin has made clear he wants to move on, and teams across the grid will be watching closely.
Right now, Honda appears to be his most likely destination for 2026.
Luca Marini’s contract runs through 2025, and his recent injury at Suzuka could accelerate Honda’s decision-making process.
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A Martin-Mir pairing would immediately boost Honda’s profile as it tries to rebuild from years of underperformance.
For now, Martin’s next race with Aprilia remains unknown. But his future beyond 2025 looks increasingly clear: he wants it to be somewhere else.
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