2024 MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martin has reportedly decided to leave Aprilia after this year and join Yamaha for the 2027 MotoGP season, marking a notable transition as the sport enters its new 850cc era. This move follows the end of Martin’s current contract with the Noale-based Aprilia factory team.
This potential shift comes as Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha’s current rider, is expected to leave the team at the end of 2024, opening the door for Martin to fill the vacant Yamaha seat. Meanwhile, Aprilia will gain an opportunity to fill the rider spot Martin vacates for 2027.
Background of Martin’s Recent MotoGP Career and Team Changes
Jorge Martin initially raced with Pramac Ducati before joining Aprilia Racing for the 2025 season after Ducati selected Marc Marquez over him as Francesco Bagnaia’s teammate. This led Martin to leave the team where he won the 2024 World Championship, opting instead to join Aprilia’s MotoGP squad.
His first season with Aprilia was challenging, marked by multiple injuries. Martin was hurt during preseason testing, injured again in training before the opening race, and crashed in the Qatar Grand Prix where he was subsequently run over by Fabio Di Giannantonio. After a recovery period, he returned mid-season at Brno and managed to finish inside the top 10.
Martin achieved his best result of the year with a fourth-place finish in Hungary, but his progress was halted following a crash in the first corner during the Japanese Sprint race, where he collided with teammate Marco Bezzecchi. This incident caused further injury and time away from the track.
Contract Speculation and Impact on Team Dynamics
Rumors circulated during Martin’s recovery that he sought to terminate his Aprilia contract early to switch teams for the 2026 season, but no such move took place. However, Fabio Quartararo’s anticipated switch to Honda has created a vacancy at Yamaha that Martin appears ready to fill for 2027.
This transfer would effectively close the seat opened by Quartararo’s departure and represent a significant step in Martin’s career, aligning him with Yamaha’s efforts as MotoGP transitions to the new engine regulations in 2027.
