What Jorge Martin’s manager privately said about Aprilia move at MotoGP launch

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Jorge Martin has been officially unveiled as an Aprilia rider at the team’s 2025 launch. He joined new teammate Marco Bezzecchi on stage as they revealed their RSGP25 bike.

Martin has already had the chance to test for Aprilia at the post-season event in Barcelona. But for sponsorship reasons, he donned a largely plain race suit and rode a mostly black bike.

Now that Martin is an Aprilia employee after formally leaving Pramac, there were no such restrictions. Perhaps the biggest source of intrigue was whether he’d use the number one plate.

Sure enough, Martin delighted MotoGP fans by displaying the #1. He could have kept #89, but he exercised his right to change as the world champion.

Had the Spaniard stayed in the Ducati stable, he may have had a better chance of retaining the title. Pramac have moved over to Yamaha, but he could have transferred to VR46 or Gresini.

But Martin was left smarting after Ducati picked Marc Marquez as Francesco Bagnaia’s next teammate. And that pushed him to Aprilia, who offered him a factory ride.

Jorge Martin is thriving without ‘pressure’ after leaving Pramac for Aprilia

Martin has already ruled out a 2025 title given the gap between Aprilia and Ducati. A chasmic 531 points separated them in last year’s championship.

While this was no doubt difficult to accept, it also means the pressure is off this year. All the focus will be on Bagnaia and Marquez instead.

Aprilia are eyeing long-term success with Martin, so victories this year will be regarded as a bonus. The 26-year-old is ‘super happy’ with the decision he’s made.

That’s according to a member of his management team, who spoke privately to Neil Morrison at the launch event. Maverick Vinales was responsible for Aprilia’s only victory last year, standing on the top step at the Grand Prix of the Americas.

“I just had a brief conversation with a member of Jorge Martin’s management squad,” Morrison said. “They were saying that he’s super happy, super content with where he is at the moment.

“The fact there’s not really a great deal of pressure on his shoulders is helping there. There’s maybe an acknowledgement within Aprilia that they’re not expecting to overthrow Ducati immediately. I think that would be unrealistic.”

The surprising part spotted on Aprilia’s RSGP25 bike

Ducati told Martin he’d get a factory ride before going back on their word, Marco Melandri says. If true, Aprilia’s new signing may have a chip on his shoulder this year.

Elite athletes are often energised by rejection. Martin will be determined to the rider who overthrows the current Ducati dynasty, even if he has to wait until 2026 or 2027.

Given that Aprilia are in concessions category C, Martin won’t be able to take part in private tests. Honda riders have already been able to trial new parts behind the scenes.

Intriguingly, Mat Oxley spotted Trackhouse’s seat aero on the Aprilia bike. It remains to be seen whether the design, last used by the satellite squad in Austria, remains in place for Thailand GP.