Marco Bezzecchi
A shocking MotoGP bombshell has been dropped after the French Grand Prix with the discovery that Jorge Martin could be set to leave Aprilia at the end of the 2025 season.
Autosport reports that the Spaniard is ready to activate a performance clause after the sixth round of the season, and will be free to talk to other teams.
Martin is yet to complete a full race distance with Aprilia after suffering two major accidents. One in pre-season, and one at the Grand Prix of Qatar which have ruled him out for an extended period.
There is a clause in his deal which states that he could leave after 2025 if he isn’t high enough in the MotoGP riders’ championship after the sixth round at Le Mans.
Despite being sidelined through mostly his own doing, Martin attended the French Grand Prix with Aprilia to help hand his colleagues a much-needed boost.
Now, he may already be on the move. Honda’s stance on signing Martin for 2026 is strong, and they insist that they will not entertain talks until all ties with Aprilia are cut.
READ MORE: Valentino Rossi already knows exactly how MotoGP injuries will change Jorge Martin, ‘it’s scary…’
MotoGP fans slam Jorge Martin for his ‘ego’ after Aprilia departure links
After claiming a maiden MotoGP title in 2024, few could have foreshadowed what was about to happen to the 27-year-old.
Since leaving Pramac, things have been disastrous. Now, he looks ready to move on rapidly from Aprilia and clearly doesn’t agree with the direction of their project.
Speaking on X (formerly known as Twitter), one fan was less than pleased with the revelation that Martin could be leaving Aprilia soon.
“His ego got the best of him,” he said. “Should never have left Ducati. Pramac would have stayed with Ducati if Jorge had re-signed with them for another two years.”
Another fan doubts his ability to get back to his best, “He’s done. Regardless [of] where he goes, he’s not gonna be in the same form again.”
While someone else believes remaining with Ducati was the way to go for 2025, “Should have just swallowed his pride and stayed in a factory Ducati somewhere.”
One fan believes Martin has been caught out by the ascension of the Japanese manufacturers, saying, “He thought Aprilia and KTM are the bikes to be on after Ducati but now Yamaha and Honda are the best bikes after Ducati.
“The Japanese are closing the gap very fast and I wouldn’t be surprised if next year they can fight for wins.”
Another individual believes that he needs to look at himself rather than his resources, “Perhaps if he’d stop wadding his practice bikes, he’d be higher up in the standings. He’s a great talent, but has always blamed everyone but himself for not getting what he thinks he deserves.”
And finally, one last fan doesn’t agree with the possibility of a move without giving his new team a chance to prove themselves, “This seems a bit premature, he [has] barely ridden the bike.”
Which MotoGP teams could Jorge Martin move to in 2026?
Martin may have already decided that he needs to leave Aprilia and get as much experience on a new bike as he can ahead of the new regulations in 2027.
The only problem is that he’s competing against some strong talent for seats at the likes of Honda and VR46.
Pedro Acosta is a hot commodity currently and could be the key player in the market, considering his age (20).
Toprak Razgatlioglu has been linked with a move from the World Superbike Championship for years too, and could be poised for a switch.
Fortunately, it’s May, which means everyone has time. However, this most recent Martin decision could send the MotoGP rider market into a frenzy.
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