Aprilia have now ‘rejected’ Jorge Martin’s offer to stop him leaving amid interest from Honda

Add as preferred source on Google

Jorge Martin met Aprilia at Le Mans to inform the Italian team about his intentions for leaving them at the end of the 2025 season, with the Spaniard enjoying an exit clause.

The 27-year-old only joined the Noale squad ahead of the 2025 MotoGP season after Ducati snubbed Martin to sign Marc Marquez for their factory rider line-up. Yet his switch to Aprilia has so far not paid off and Martin has already seen enough from their struggles to want out.

Martin has only contested one round of the season so far due to injury, yet has watched the results that the other Aprilia riders have registered to feel his future would be better placed elsewhere. Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura has scored the most points on an RS-GP25 with 43.

Aprilia reject Jorge Martin’s offer to extend his 2025 exit clause by a further six rounds

Martin is afraid that Aprilia’s promises about their bike were exaggerated as they negotiated his contract last summer, having seen factory teammate Marco Bezzecchi also score just 38 points so far. Ogura also took the best result for an Aprilia rider this year with P5 in Thailand.

So, Motorsport.com reports that Martin met Aprilia’s management at the French Grand Prix to signal his intentions to trigger an exit clause in the Madrid native’s contract. He had to be in the top three of the MotoGP riders’ championship after Le Mans for it to become invalid.

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

Yet as the reigning riders’ champion missed the first three rounds due to complex fractures in his left hand plus the last two after breaking 11 ribs in Qatar, Martin has offered Aprilia a six-round extension to his exit clause. But it is now thought that Aprilia ‘rejected’ the offer.

Aprilia rejected Martin’s offer to extend his exit clause to include the British, Aragon, Italian, Dutch, German and Czech Grands Prix as the Noale factory think his clause is invalid already. Aprilia believe that Martin missing five rounds due to injury makes the clause null and void.

Aprilia’s stance on Jorge Martin’s exit clause could stop the MotoGP champion joining Honda

Were it not for Martin’s nightmare year with injuries, having started his Aprilia career with a highside in the Sepang Test before crashing on a Supermoto days after and then later in the Qatar Grand Prix, the Spaniard might have held an exit clause that Aprilia could not dispute.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Aprilia from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy

Yet his absence at five of the first six rounds means Aprilia believe they can prevent Martin’s exit clause, which CEO Massimo Rivola only agreed to hours before the Spaniard signed with the Noale squad at last year’s Italian Grand Prix. It may also stop Martin from joining Honda.

Honda are prepared to double Martin’s Aprilia salary, but the Japanese brand will only table an official offer once the Spaniard resolves his situation with the Italian factory. It is unlikely that they will resolve the dispute soon, however, and Honda are exploring other candidates.