Massimo Rivola is trying everything he can to keep Jorge Martin at Aprilia as he seeks an early exit from his contract.
The defending MotoGP champion has activated an exit clause that allows him to leave in 2026. Carlo Pernat says Aprilia made a ‘mess’ of Martin’s contract as he has only seen a team have that clause once in the sport, with Ducati giving Cal Crutchlow that option in 2014.
The two parties are in an awkward situation, as Aprilia say the exit clause is invalid due to the Spaniard’s injuries. Martin has only competed in one race in 2025 and is currently recovering from serious injuries sustained in a crash in Qatar.
Martin doubled down on his intentions to leave in a recent statement. He is seeking an exit from the manufacturer by 2026, with Honda preparing a three-year deal to bring the 27-year-old on board.
Massimo Rivola claimed Jorge Martin would have ‘very likely’ won the title with Aprilia if he was fit in 2025
Martin is unsatisfied with the state of Aprilia or the RS-GP, having crashed heavily on the bike every time he has ridden it.
But Marco Bezzecchi’s win at Silverstone sent a clear message, says Rivola, as it proved that Martin has a competitive bike waiting for him. Aprilia are trying to convince the 27-year-old to honour his contract as Honda wait in the wings.
Aprilia have even taken out newspaper ads in an attempt to keep their star rider on board. Aprilia fans chanted for Martin to stay at the team’s All Stars event at Misano.
The Noale outfit have struggled in Martin’s absence, with inconsistent performances and results plaguing the team. Rivola had targeted 2026 to win the championship with the Spaniard, but he recently made an astonishing claim about his title chances.
Speaking with El Pais, the Aprilia boss said that it would have been ‘very likely’ that Martin would have won the title this season had he not been injured: “Perhaps it was more realistic to think about 2026, and with Jorge at 100% this entire season, it would have been very likely.
“Now everything is more difficult, but not impossible.”
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Will Jorge Martin ride with Aprilia again amid exit talk?
Martin is expected to return before the summer break, but many have wondered if the Spaniard will ride for the team again with the current situation.
Martin wore unbranded clothing at the All Stars event as he unexpectedly rode a bike for the first time since his injury. Suzi Perry says this got ‘tongues wagging’ in the paddock, as it could be interpreted as a rift between the two pairtes.
Honda seem to be the 27-year-old’s likely destination, with Martin set to partner Joan Mir at the factory team. But the Japanese manufacturer are assessing their options for 2026, with Johann Zarco and Pedro Acosta linked with the team in recent weeks.
Martin could even join Tech3 if they leave KTM at the end of the season. Honda could take over the team as their second satellite outfit if Bajaj decide to sell them as part of their planned cuts for KTM.
