Aprilia haven’t given up hope of keeping MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin. That’s despite him publicly stating that he’d triggered a release clause in his contract.
Precedent suggests that the partnership can’t recover from that kind of bombshell. Under the terms of his deal, Martin felt he was entitled to leave after the French GP if he was below a certain position in the championship.
Aprilia think Martin’s exit clause is invalid due to his injury absences. He’s only been fit for one out of seven races so far and may not make it back before the summer break.
Martin is willing to renegotiate his contract so he can judge the bike upon his return. But the two parties are locked in something of a stand-off.
It’s possible that the battle goes to the courtroom as Martin eyes a move to Honda. But Aprilia still want to inspire a u-turn.
Aprilia take out newspaper ads as they ‘pamper’ Jorge Martin
Martin’s arrival generated huge excitement at Aprilia as they chased their first-ever MotoGP title. A superstar rider felt like the missing piece as the team tried to reach the next level.
His first five months have been unthinkably disastrous, but Massimo Rivola and co. are trying to ‘mend the rift’. Martin made his first public appearance since the contract bombshell at the Aprilia All-Stars event at Misano last weekend.
In a clear sign that he was feeling ‘tense’, he kept his manager, Albert Valera, by his side throughout the festivities.
But whether or not they’re just trying to preserve their image, Aprilia appear to be ‘pampering’ Martin. They even bought adverts in two Spanish newspapers to celebrate his Misano appearance.
“Martin’s manager Albert Valera was with him in Misano and accompanied him, escorted him and was close to him the whole time,” journalist Rene Pierotti said on the Moto.it YouTube channel. “Obviously Martin was tense, and Valera was by his side, even accompanying him in the interviews.
“Aprilia set a strategy to make Martin reconsider. He was welcomed to the party in Misano, he was celebrated. They pampered him. A page of ads was bought in two Spanish newspapers.
“In short, everything was done to ensure that all the conditions are in place to mend this rift. It could be a genuine desire, or a strategy of preserving their image – ‘we did everything we could, he is the one who wanted to leave’.”
Are Aprilia plotting a spectacular back-up plan if they lose Jorge Martin?
Aprilia fans chanted ‘stay’ at Martin during the event in Emilia Romagna. That will aid the team’s attempts to win him over.
Perhaps more importantly, he saw teammate Marco Bezzecchi claim a shock victory at the British Grand Prix last time out. The Noale outfit must use it as a launchpad after a poor start to the season.
Of course, they will be drawing up potential contingency plans in the event that Martin does leave. And one of them is looking particularly ambitious.
In recent days, Francesco Bagnaia has emerged as an Aprilia target. Bagnaia is under contract at Ducati, but he’s struggled alongside Marc Marquez in 2025.
