Aleix Espargaro isn’t buying what Jorge Martin has said about 2025 MotoGP title chances at Aprilia

Add as preferred source on Google

Jorge Martin comes into the 2025 MotoGP season as the defending champion. The Spaniard beat factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia to the title by 10 points.

Martin won just three races all season compared to Bagnaia’s 11. But the latter’s three retirements proved costly as the former finished off the podium only four times.

Riding with Ducati satellite team Pramac, Martin became the first independent team rider to win the MotoGP Championship. But for 2025, the 26-year-old will take on a new challenge.

The defending champion has left Ducati after being snubbed of the second seat at the factory team by Marc Marquez. Pramac have also parted ways with the manufacturer and have entered an agreement with Yamaha.

Pramac chief Fonsi Nieto says Marquez’s ‘beastly pull’ as a six-time champion is why he got the seat next to Bagnaia over Martin.

For 2025, the Spaniard will race with Aprilia as a factory rider. Martin will be partnered by fellow Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi, who moves over from the VR46 team.

Aleix Espargaro thinks Jorge Martin can fight for the 2025 title with Aprilia

Martin has been brought in as the replacement for fellow compatriot Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia. The 35-year-old announced his retirement from full competition last season.

Espargaro was consistently in the points in 2024, but could only manage 11th in the standings. Teammate Maverick Vinales was the only non-Ducati rider to win a race – coming in Austin – as Aprilia did not have the pace to compete with the Bologna-based manufacturer.

It seems that those within the team expect the same this year. Martin says he cannot win the championship in 2025, setting 2026 as his target.

But Espargaro cannot believe the 26-year-old’s claim. Speaking on DAZN’s documentary ‘EspargaBros’ – detailing the life of the Spaniard and his younger brother Pol – he feels Martin can at least fight for the title.

“I don’t have the talent, not even close, of the riders who have fought for the World title,” he said, “And if I have managed to win races with this bike, I have done pole positions, I have records on many tracks, why can’t Jorge fight for a World title? 

“Fight, I haven’t said that I will be champion with the Aprilia next year, but I think that Aprilia is doing a good job.”

Aleix Espargaro has already seen something is not ‘right’ with Honda’s 2025 bike

Espargaro announced his retirement from MotoGP in Barcelona last year, having made his decision at the race at Jerez. Espargaro told his wife his career was over after he crashed in the sprint race that weekend.

But the 35-year-old will remain in the premier class in some capacity. Espargaro will serve as a test rider for Honda and will work closely with Stefan Bradl and Takaaki Nakagami behind the scenes.

The Spaniard has already got to work testing with Honda’s machinery. Espargaro made his first outing with the team during post-season testing in Barcelona.

Honda will be looking to improve their fortunes in 2025 after finishing bottom of the constructors’ standings last year. But Espargaro already felt the balance of the bike was ‘not right’ after his session in Barcelona.

The Japanese manufacturer still have time to make alterations before the first race of the season in Thailand. But Espargaro’s feedback will not be what Honda want to hear after their disappointing 2024 campaign.