Aprilia manager shares what he’ll ‘never forget’ about Jorge Martin’s first test

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Aprilia are still pursuing their first title since entering MotoGP as a factory squad in 2022. But they’ve already scored multiple race wins.

Aleix Espargaro was responsible for the first at the 2022 Argentine GP, and he then delivered two more at Silverstone and Catalunya the following season. Last year, Aprilia were the only non-Ducati team to win a race, with Maverick Vinales standing on the top step in Texas.

But perhaps the most significant moment in their MotoGP history to date came off the track. On 3 June 2024, Aprilia announced the signing of Jorge Martin from Pramac.

Martin joins the team as the reigning world champion after defeating Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia in a season-long title battle. This, then, is a spectacular coup for Massimo Rivola.

As part of an all-new line-up for the Noale outfit, Marco Bezzecchi will fill the other side of the garage. Bezzecchi and Martin were fierce rivals in Moto3, creating a difficult dynamic for Rivola to manage.

Espargaro has now semi-retired, switching to Honda to become a test rider. Vinales, meanwhile, chose to abandon the Aprilia project and join KTM satellite squad Tech3 instead.

Paolo Bonora recalls the total silence in Aprilia garage during Jorge Martin debut

Multiple MotoGP riders rode for their new teams at the post-season test in Barcelona last November. But the main attractions were Marc Marquez, who jumped from Gresini to Ducati, and Martin.

Speaking to Speedweek, Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora reflected on Martin’s first test. He says it was a truly unique experience.

There was total silence in the garage when the Spaniard, and teammate Bezzecchi, returned to the garage after getting a feel for the bike. The engineers were no doubt anxious to gauge their feedback.

Martin has already raved about Aprilia’s front end, declaring it superior to the Ducati. Clearly, though, the bike is still lacking in other areas.

“What I will never forget was the situation at the first test,” Bonora said. “Nothing like that had ever happened before. When Jorge and Marco drove the first laps and came back, it was absolutely quiet. Curiosity, excitement and concentration all in one.”

Jorge Martin won’t be happy when he sees Ducati’s 2025 MotoGP launch video

Martin was calm after losing out on a Ducati seat, his manager says. His camp are trying to play down the notion that he’ll have a chip on his shoulder this season.

Indeed, a member of his team said at the RS-GP25 Martin already felt comfortable at Aprilia. He’s relishing the prospect of racing without pressure in 2025 as all the pressure rests on Marquez and Bagnaia.

Espargaro thinks Martin can win the title, but very few share that opinion. Even victories this year would be seen as a bonus.

Ducati made the ‘strange’ decision to largely omit Martin from a video celebrating their 2024 success at their recent launch. For all his apparent calmness, that will surely rile him up.