After an injury-ridden and drama-filled first half of the 2025 MotoGP season, reigning world champion Jorge Martin has spoken about his future at Aprilia Racing after confirming his intention of fulfilling his contract.
Martin confirmed his decision to stay at Aprilia ahead of the final round of Grand Prix motorcycle racing before the summer break, during an emotional press conference in Brno.
The announcement came months after the Spaniard declared that he wanted to trigger a performance clause in a multi-year contract signed in the midst of his title-winning campaign.
During negotiations, he requested a clause which allowed him to leave if he was outside of the title fight after the French GP. The 27-year-old sent the MotoGP rider market into a frenzy upon an attempt to trigger it.
Aprilia felt Martin’s clause was invalid due to the fact that he had only competed in one race before being sidelined after a horror crash in Qatar.
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Jorge Martin hints at Aprilia exit ahead of ‘big opportunity’ regarding 2027 MotoGP regulations
Speaking in an interview with AS ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Martin was asked about the impact that the contract saga had on his relationship with Aprilia.
The Spaniard responded openly, saying, “The important thing is that it’s brought us together. There’s been enormous progress at the Martín-Aprilia event from February to now; there’s a much closer relationship with the entire team, with management, and with the press.
“Everything is more united. At the beginning of the year, there was a lot of excitement on one hand, but I was a little more hesitant, and now I’m clear that this is where I want to be next year, where I want to fight for a World Championship, to make history again. That’s what fulfils me.”
Photo by Hazrin Yeob Men Shah/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 2024 MotoGP world champion was then asked if the repair of his relationship with the team means that he intends to stick around at the Italian constructor into MotoGP’s new era in 2027, to which he replied, “That’s a different story, who knows.
“2027 is a very big opportunity, and I know Aprilia is working very hard for the future. We’ll see. There are still races left this year, and we hope to be able to fight for a World Championship next year, and then we’ll think about the following year.”
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Jorge Martin has been training hard over the summer break to try and catch up to his MotoGP rivals
Having missed out on 10 of the 12 rounds already gone in the 2025 season, Martin is severely on the back foot, in terms of championship standings as well as race fitness.
The 27-year-old has been hard at work over the summer break to try and close the gap in race fitness to his rivals who have been racing week in, week out.
Whilst the rest of the grid were enjoying a well-earned break, Martin took part in the ‘toughest’ cycling race in Andorra, which consisted of a six-hour ride over one of the most mountainous regions in the world.
Martin has returned weighing less than he did in Moto2 after the extra cardio workouts, in a tactic which should benefit him once he gets back on track with his Aprilia.