Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola addressed the ongoing Aprilia Jorge Martin MotoGP dispute, explaining that conflicts between riders and teams are not uncommon in the pursuit of world championships. The tensions arose following Martin’s decision to trigger a performance clause in his contract amid disagreements over his injury absence in 2025, leading to a contentious situation between the rider and the Italian manufacturer.
Last year, Aprilia made a significant investment to secure Jorge Martin, the reigning 2024 world champion, after Ducati reversed plans to promote him to their factory squad, favoring Marc Marquez instead. Initially, the partnership began positively, with Martin showing leadership qualities during the November end-of-season tests. However, the relationship deteriorated over the following months.
Martin aims to leave Aprilia at the end of the year based on the performance clause, which Aprilia disputes, insisting that his extensive injury absence in 2025 invalidates this option. During the Dutch Grand Prix, Martin’s manager, Albert Valera, claimed that Martin would be free to join another team for the 2026 season and suggested Honda as a potential destination. Aprilia refuted these claims and signaled readiness to escalate the dispute through legal channels, marking a sharp intensification of the conflict.
Massimo Rivola emphasized that the company’s priority remains having Martin race with Aprilia next season, but he acknowledged how difficult the circumstances have become. Speaking at the Assen Grand Prix, Rivola said,
“For sure, it’s not a comfortable situation.”
He further noted that Aprilia signed Martin for clear performance-related reasons and believed their results still reflected that choice. Rivola also highlighted how riders in the past have competed for championships even while unhappy with their teams, stating,
“And we showed that the performance is still there. In the past we saw riders unhappy about the company/the boss, that fought for the world title for many years.”
So, let’s see. Luckily we don’t have children!
—Massimo Rivola, Aprilia CEO
Similar tensions have occurred before in MotoGP history. Jorge Lorenzo battled for the 2016 championship on a Yamaha team despite internal disagreements over the handling of the previous year’s controversial title race and its subdued celebrations. Valentino Rossi won the 2003 title with Honda despite feeling distanced from the manufacturer, which appeared to prioritize their machinery over the rider himself. Both Lorenzo and Rossi moved to new teams following these uneasy seasons.
More recently, Maverick Vinales’ deteriorating relationship with Yamaha during the 2021 season ended prematurely and contentiously. Vinales chose to break his contract early and was subsequently removed before the Styrian Grand Prix after deliberately trying to sabotage his bike’s engine, demonstrating the difficulty in mending fractured ties within top-level MotoGP teams.
This dispute between Jorge Martin and Aprilia illustrates the ongoing challenges in rider–team relations, particularly when performance, injuries, and contract clauses intersect under high stakes. How this conflict resolves could have important repercussions for both parties as they prepare for the upcoming seasons and the ever-competitive MotoGP environment.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is MotoGP not so popular?
A. It’s unfortunate, but entertainment often attracts more interest than sports. MotoGP is attempting to benefit from this trend. However, MotoGP currently lacks the personalities needed to make it more dramatic and engaging.
Q. Has anyone won F1 and MotoGP?
A. John Surtees is well-known for being the only person to win a World Championship in both motorcycle racing and Formula 1. He showed great talent and courage in both sports.
Q. Did F1 buy MotoGP?
A. Liberty Media, the company that owns Formula 1, plans to finalize a £3.6 billion deal to acquire MotoGP by the end of Thursday. This agreement involves Liberty Media buying 84% of Dorna, the company that holds MotoGP’s commercial rights. The payment will be made in cash, and the European Commission approved the deal last week.
Q. Is F1 faster than MotoGP?
A. At the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), a Formula 1 car can reach an incredible speed of 205 mph down the back straight. This is very fast, but MotoGP bikes can go even faster, reaching 221 mph. Despite their higher speed, MotoGP bikes complete a lap about 25 seconds slower than Formula 1 cars.
