What Romano Albesiano has now said about Jorge Martin following him from Aprilia to Honda

Add as preferred source on Google

Jorge Martin has sparked major movements and rumours in the 2025 MotoGP rider market as he seeks a way out of Aprilia.

The defending champion stunned the world by announcing that he intends the leave the Noale outfit a year early. Signing a two-year deal after he lost the Ducati seat to Marc Marquez, Martin has activated an exit clause in his contract.

The Spaniard is allowed to leave if he is not in a competitive position in the championship after six races. Martin has only ridden for Aprilia once in 2025, having suffered serious injuries in pre-season and on his return to the MotoGP grid in Qatar.

With there being only four seats available at the start of 2025, the MotoGP rider market has sprung into life with Martin’s bombshell, with Yamaha signing Toprak Razgatlioglu for 2026. Aprilia are now in a situation where they could lose their star rider without properly utilising him.

Aprilia say Martin’s exit clause is invalid due to his injuries and are determined to keep the 27-year-old for 2026. Dorna CEO Carlos Ezpeleta has ‘no intention’ of letting Martin leave Aprilia, as he eyes a move to Honda.

Romano Albesiano says Jorge Martin joining Honda in 2026 would be a ‘very good thing’

The issue between Martin and Aprilia is likely to end up in court, with the former doubling down on his decision to leave in a recent statement. Honda have offered a three-year deal to the defending MotoGP champion, with the Japanese outfit being his preferred destination.

The manufacturer are back on the up in the premier class, with Johann Zarco securing their first win since 2023 at Le Mans. Their serious financial backing makes them an attractive option, with Honda being prepared to double Martin’s salary.

A deal cannot be finalised until Martin breaks his contract with Aprilia, with key figures at Honda being cautious over the situation. Alberto Puig said it would be foolish not to sign Martin, but stressed that the team will not make a move while he has a contract.

Technical director Romano Albesiano, who left Aprilia to join Honda at the end of 2024, was asked by MotoGP’s YouTube channel about the prospect of Martin following him.

He replied: “For sure, if Martin will come, for Honda it would be a very good thing. It would be a bad thing for Aprilia. If you please understand me, I’m really fresh from that company, so I would like not to comment at this point.”

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

What will Aprilia and Honda’s line-ups look like if Jorge Martin moves in 2026?

It seems more likely than ever that Martin will not be riding with Aprilia in 2026. If he does join Honda, the teams have decisions to make with their rider line-ups.

The Spaniard is set to join the factory Honda team, but Martin could also join Tech3 if KTM sell the team to the Japanese manufacturer. Johann Zarco is unfazed by missing out on a factory Honda seat to Martin, as he looks set to stay with LCR.

At Aprilia, they are faced with the prospect of needing to replace the defending champion sooner than they had anticipated. Ai Ogura will not move to Aprilia as Davide Brivio has stressed that he has a contract with Trackhouse for 2026.

Enea Bastianini is an option for Aprilia as he looks to seek a way out of KTM. The Italian has been highly critical of the Austrian outfit in recent weeks as he too looks to break his contract and find a new home.