Jorge Martin’s world championship prediction at Aprilia has now aged terribly as he activates exit clause

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Jorge Martin has his mind set on leaving Aprilia already, despite signing a two-year deal in June last year.

The Spaniard agreed to join the Noale-based manufacturer after winning the 2024 title with Pramac Ducati. Martin was aware he was stepping onto a weaker bike in 2025, but still had optimism for the future.

However, at the Grand Prix of France last weekend, Martin visited Aprilia to inform them he was looking to part ways at the end of the year. The 27-year-old has an exit clause that allows him to leave if he is not in a competitive position after six races.

This is despite Martin only competing in one round in 2025. The Spaniard missed pre-season and the first three races through injury, before breaking 11 ribs on his return in Qatar, with his recovery date still unknown.

But the defending champion clearly has no confidence in Aprilia after what he has seen this season. The manufacturer is last in the standings, with Marco Bezzecchi struggling for consistency and Lorenzo Savadori off the pace in Martin’s absence.

Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura is 10th in the standings – the highest-placed Aprilia rider – while Raul Fernandez has been underwhelming. Martin’s decision to leave is a sharp U-turn from his optimistic pre-season predictions.

Jorge Martin eyed 2026 as the year he could challenge for the title with Aprilia – he could be gone before then

Martin knew defending his title was off the table in 2025, as Aprilia are far inferior to Ducati – the opening six races have proved that.

Instead, speaking on the Tengo Un Plan Podcast, the Spaniard was targeting 2026 as a possible title challenge with the Noale outfit. This prediction has aged horribly, as the defending champion could be out of Aprilia before the season starts.

“If I had continued with Ducati, the goal would’ve been the same, which is to give it my all and aim for success,” he said,

“But now I have no idea, because I don’t know what the bike will be like. The challenge is huge, since I’m getting on a low top 10 bike, while leaving one from the top positions.

“If I were to start from fifth place, and finish by winning races or getting a second, I’d be very proud. The important thing, however, is to progress.

“Bringing the Aprilia to fight for the championship won’t be easy, so the ambition for the new season isn’t that. The opportunity could present itself maybe as early as 2026 but, for now, I just have to try to do my best.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Jorge Martin from net worth to girlfriend

What Aprilia must do to keep Jorge Martin in 2026

Martin has already held several meetings in the MotoGP paddock as he discussed his future with Aprilia. It is believed that Honda is his preferred destination.

The Japanese outfit have made huge strides forward in 2025, with Johann Zarco winning the French Grand Prix for LCR. Massimo Rivola met with Honda’s ‘big boss’ at Le Mans as they tried to work out how to handle this ‘uncomfortable situation’

Martin’s Aprilia exit is not certain just yet. The 27-year-old has reportedly given the manufacturer the next six races to convince him to stay, taking it to Brno on July 20.

It is unclear whether Martin will be available for any of those races, while other reports suggest he has given Aprilia until mid-September. Regardless, the team will fight their case to ensure the Spaniard sees out his two-year contract as previously agreed.