Things are getting tense between Jorge Martin and Aprilia. It all kicked off when Martin’s manager, Albert Valera, went live on MotoGP.com and confidently claimed that the injured rider is now “free of contract for 2026,” thanks to a performance clause that was supposedly triggered. According to Valera, “He’s completely open, available… he had a clause, and he used it.” He even hinted that Honda could be on the table for Martin next season.
But Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta quickly threw cold water on that idea. He told Spanish and Italian media that Martin can’t just jump ship unless there’s either a mutual agreement with Aprilia or a court settles things. Basically, Martin’s hands aren’t as free as his manager believes.
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola backed up Ezpeleta’s stance and said the team’s “priority one” is still to keep Martin for 2026. However, he made it clear that if that doesn’t happen, there are “only two options”: sit down and hash it out, or head to court. Rivola stressed they’re ready for either outcome to protect the interests of the company.
Rivola also took a jab at Valera’s interpretation of the exit clause, saying, “You’ll have to ask Valera why he thinks it’s valid. I have a totally different view.”
While Martin continues to recover from his latest injuries—picked up during his sole MotoGP race of the season in Qatar—Marco Bezzecchi has stepped up in a big way. The Italian snagged a win at Silverstone and landed on the podium twice at Assen, proving Aprilia’s bike is still a strong contender.
“We brought Martin in to fight for the title,” Rivola said. “Without the injuries, I think we’d be right in that fight. Marco is showing it’s possible, and with Martin, I believe it would’ve been even more.” Two possible replacements according to paddock chatter are Enea Bastianini, who seems to be the number one choice. And the second, seems to be a rider from Moto2. Again there are unconfirmed reports of Jake Dixon making the switch, also that of Manu Gonzalez, who recently had a great test with Aprilia.
Asked whether things could still be patched up or if a split is inevitable, Rivola wasn’t ruling anything out: “We picked each other for a reason. He chose us for the performance, and we’ve delivered that. In the past, we’ve seen riders win titles even in tough team situations, so let’s see. Luckily, we don’t have kids!” he added with a laugh, referencing all the ‘divorce’ chatter.
As for Martin, he’s officially out of the upcoming German GP at the Sachsenring. His earliest shot at a comeback is the Czech round in Brno from July 18–20. Aprilia might give him a chance to test beforehand, but they’re waiting on his next medical evaluation before making that call.
Bottom line? Aprilia wants Martin to stay—but they’re ready to lawyer up if things don’t go their way.
