Raul Fernandez shares why Jorge Martin’s Aprilia move is ‘really important’ for his 2025 MotoGP season

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Raul Fernandez will be desperate to improve his fortunes in MotoGP after a difficult spell in the premier class thus far.

Since making the step up to MotoGP in 2022 after finishing runner-up in Moto2 the year prior, the Spaniard has struggled to find consistency.

Joining KTM satellite team Tech3 in 2022, Fernandez scored just 14 points and finished 22nd in the standings. The 24-year-old moved to Aprilia the following year.

Fernandez scored 51 points in 2023 with the RNF MotoGP Team before moving to Trackhouse Racing last season. Results did improve but he only managed 66 points, finishing 16th in the standings.

Coming into 2025, the Spaniard will be under pressure to deliver with Trackhouse – but he may have been dealt a huge boost thanks to the rider market.

Raul Fernandez can use Jorge Martin’s data at Aprilia to improve in 2025

Fernandez will be partnered by Moto2 champion Ai Ogura this season at Trackhouse. The Japanese rider will certainly be tough competition for the 24-year-old.

But the satellite Aprilia team will be dealt a helping hand with the arrival of Jorge Martin. The defending champion has joined the factory team after winning the 2024 title with Ducati satellite outfit Pramac.

Martin was linked with the second Ducati seat next to Francesco Bagnaia, but was snubbed by six-time champion Marc Marquez.

READ MORE: Marco Melandri has ‘heard’ what Ducati told Jorge Martin before signing Marc Marquez for 2025

The Spaniard finds himself at Aprilia in 2025 as he looks to defend his title. Speaking with the official MotoGP website, Fernandez says Martin’s signing is ‘really important’ as he can learn from his data to improve this season.

“It is the first year that I will be in MotoGP with a factory bike. We will not change the bike in the middle of the season, that is really important for me,” he said.

“I know that also we will have a really important rider in the factory. We will have the world champion rider and we will have his data to try to improve ourselves and this is really important for me.”

Can Jorge Martin defend his MotoGP crown with MotoGP?

Naturally, joining Aprilia gives Martin less of a chance of defending his championship. He has just left the manufacturer that won all but one race in 2024.

Aprilia did win the other race not won by Ducati through Maverick Vinales. Despite this, the Noale-based outfit finished below KTM in the constructors’ standings.

The Aprilia bike is less superior to that of the Ducati, as the fending champion knows this. Martin expects to be fighting for the title in 2026 as he hopes to build the team up.

But Aleix Espargaro does not buy Martin’s claim, stressing that he can compete with Aprilia as if he could not fight for wins, his fellow Spaniard can.