In the summer of 2024, Aprilia generated notable excitement by signing Jorge Martin for the 2025 season after Ducati withdrew its factory promotion for the rider. This move brought the first major name to Aprilia and was backed by a two-year deal as the Italian manufacturer aimed to support Martin with a championship-caliber machine. Martin, who had just secured the 2024 world title with Pramac and Ducati, was seen as a crucial asset for Aprilia’s future prospects.
When testing began in Barcelona ahead of the 2025 season, optimism ran high within the Aprilia team. Technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini described Martin as a natural leader. The launch of the 2025 RS-GP bike featured Martin proudly displaying the No. 1 championship plate on its nose, marking a new chapter in Aprilia’s effort to establish itself at the top level.
A year later, Aprilia revealed its updated 2026 livery at the Sky studios in Milan, reintroducing the iconic lion decal to strengthen its brand identity. The 2025 season proved to be Aprilia’s most successful yet, with three grand prix wins credited to the team and a fourth overall win through Trackhouse’s victory at the Australian Grand Prix. The team finished second in the constructors’ championship and secured third place in the riders’ standings.
However, none of this success was directly attributed to Martin, whose campaign was marred by injuries and controversy.
The Difficult Road for Martin and Strained Relations
The positive trajectory ended abruptly during pre-season testing in Sepang, when Martin suffered a wrist injury after a crash 13 laps into the session. This sidetracked his preparation amid disputes between Aprilia and Michelin over the safety of the tyres used. Further misfortune struck in Thailand where Martin was injured during training, causing him to miss several consecutive races. His return in Qatar was cut short by another severe crash that kept him out until the Czech Grand Prix.
Amid his recovery, Martin resurfaced unexpectedly in the paddock at the French Grand Prix. Reports soon emerged claiming he sought to terminate his Aprilia contract, invoking a performance clause. Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola disclosed that Martin’s management had discussions regarding a possible offer from Honda for 2026, an offer Honda consistently denied. Despite this, Martin’s manager publicly identified Honda as a potential option, leading Aprilia to threaten legal action. Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta also cautioned Martin that signing with another team while under contract would exclude him from the 2026 grid.
Eventually, Aprilia maintained its position, and Martin recommitted to the second year of his contract before returning to competition at Brno. Although Martin expressed no regrets, believing he acted in his own best interest, his 2025 season saw him compete in only seven of 22 rounds, with a highest finish of fourth in Hungary. Later, an injury caused by a collision with teammate Marco Bezzecchi at Motegi forced him to miss five additional races.
Marco Bezzecchi Emerges as Team Leader Amidst Challenges
Originally signed to support Martin as a secondary rider, Marco Bezzecchi unexpectedly took on the mantle of Aprilia’s leading figure in 2025. Demonstrating title-contending form, Bezzecchi’s growth within the team marks him as a likely long-term asset for Aprilia, a development that seemed unlikely only a year prior.
Despite the difficult relationship and setbacks with Martin, Aprilia entered 2026 with resilience and determination to move forward. At the 2026 launch in Milan, the prevailing message was one of putting past issues behind and rebuilding team unity to pursue further success.
For sure, I learned a lot from last season,
Martin acknowledged during the launch event.
I think my team is also really close to me, because last year we learned we need to be together to fight against everything that’s going on. [The factory visit] was really special to be there with all of the historic bikes, to see the most successful [European] brand and history, and to be part of it, it’s amazing. So, I’m really looking forward to starting together to being really close to fight for everything.
– Jorge Martin, MotoGP Rider
He also emphasized the significance of the lion emblem saying,
I think the lion is the most representative animal for us, at the moment. I cannot see a better moment to have re-signed again, now with this lion on the Aprilia. I think we are a great team and I was contracted to try to win. That’s what I will try to do, to fight to the end, to win the championship, either me or Marco. But I think we can do it. So, I will fight.
– Jorge Martin, MotoGP Rider
Given Martin’s earlier uncertainty, questions arose about the viability of the partnership going forward. Rebuilding trust with Martin and motivating the team to continue their efforts were critical tasks for Aprilia’s management.
Regarding the team’s approach, Rivola reflected on their foundation for success:
When we won in Argentina in 2022, the answer to the question ‘how did you make it’ was work and belief,
Rivola said.
So, with these two words, I think you can summarise the only way that we know to get good results. And if everyone keeps those words in mind, I think it’s easier to achieve any kind of result.
– Massimo Rivola, Aprilia CEO
Martin also expressed confidence in the team’s capability:
I raced just seven races, so there are still some people in the team whose names I don’t even know! I have full trust in this team. I could see from Marco’s side that they were unbelievably strong. Also, we could work a lot with the engineers together with Marco, and I feel we can bring the bike to the top. I will give my maximum to do this. The best moment to be together is now, and hopefully it will pay off in the season.
– Jorge Martin, MotoGP Rider
Role of Jorge Martin in Aprilia’s 2026 Campaign
Aprilia’s goals have expanded significantly for 2026, with the primary spotlight now on Marco Bezzecchi as the team’s main title hopeful. Nonetheless, Martin remains a vital figure for the squad’s championship ambitions despite being far from race fitness and having limited recent track time due to injury and recovery.
Rivola has urged patience as Martin gradually regains form on the RS-GP bike. The team values his presence not only for his racing skills but also for his potential contributions to bike development.
Bezzecchi highlighted Martin’s strengths and potential impact, explaining:
I think that Jorge can help in many, many aspects,
Bezzecchi said.
As you all know, Jorge is super-fast and is super-strong in races. He’s been struggling with his body with injuries, so he needs to take a bit of time to adapt to the bike and to understand it better and better. But I think Jorge can be super helpful in everything, because he has super good skills in every aspect. So, qualifying, for example, he’s super strong, but also sprints. But he also won a title already in MotoGP. He’s strong also in long races. I don’t really know only one thing [where he can help with], so hopefully he can feel better soon, and we can have good battles.
– Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Rider
The 2026 season also marks a contract year for both riders, and Rivola disclosed that other teams are actively presenting lucrative offers to Aprilia’s riders, increasing competition for their services. Martin’s performance early in the season will be critical to his market value and role with the team moving forward.
For Aprilia, a fully fit and quick Jorge Martin would represent a tremendous asset. Martin himself is confident about his comeback potential, stating:
As soon as I feel ready, I feel nobody can stop me…
– Jorge Martin, MotoGP Rider
