Jorge Martin isn’t the only rider whose behaviour has angered Dorna MotoGP bosses in 2025

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Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has threatened Jorge Martin with exclusion from the MotoGP world championship amid his contract dispute with Aprilia. They’re deeply concerned that a precedent may be set.

Martin is trying to leave Aprilia through a controversial release clause in his deal. It stipulated that he was free to go if he was below a certain championship position by the sixth round of the season.

However, the Spaniard only rode in one of those races, crashing out of the Qatar GP and requiring fresh surgery. Speaking to Sky Italy, Ezpeleta said Martin would have to reach an agreement with Aprilia or earn the backing of a judge.

“We as Dorna will not accept the entry to the championship of anyone who does not respect these conditions,” he said.

Carmelo Ezpeleta unhappy with Pedro Acosta as well as Jorge Martin

A report from GPOne reiterates that Ezpeleta is ‘angry’ with the reigning world champion. He won’t ‘stand by and watch an escalation in breaches of contract’.

But Martin wasn’t only the target of his ire. He was also sending a message to KTM rider Pedro Acosta.

The feeling is that Acosta has been ‘winking at Ducati’ by visiting the company’s museum in Borgo Panigale and posing for a photo in front of the VR46 media panel. Both riders are managed by Albert Valera.

Acosta is locked into his KTM contract until the end of 2026. But there has been significant speculation about an early switch to VR46.

Indeed, Valera publicly said Acosta ‘isn’t happy’ during the Assen weekend, a statement that rather went under the radar amid the Martin headlines.

How Liberty Media have influenced Dorna’s stance on Jorge Martin

According to Motorsport.com, Liberty Media ‘influenced’ Ezpeleta’s attempt to ‘restore order’. The American conglomerate have just received full approval to acquire MotoGP.

Liberty may feel that the Martin saga is damaging the impact of the championship. A courtroom date later in the year remains a possibility.

Martin is already in talks with Aprilia over a settlement to avoid that eventuality. But an agreement isn’t close at this stage.

Indeed, Aprilia are asking for ‘exorbitant’ money to let Martin go. They wanted to build their team around the world champion after signing him from Ducati last summer.