Jorge Martin is set to wear new colours in the 2026 MotoGP season as he looks to leave Aprilia a year early.
The defending champion has activated an exit clause in his contract as he looks to become a free agent on the MotoGP rider market in 2026. Martin is unsatisfied with the RS-GP25, which has given Aprilia’s riders inconsistent results this season.
But Marco Bezzecchi’s win at Silverstone sent a clear message to the Spaniard, says Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola. The team are adamant that the bike is competitive, despite Martin’s assessment.
The Spaniard has competed in only one race in 2025, having been ravaged by injury throughout the year. While he has barely ridden the RS-GP, Martin feels ‘deceived’ by Aprilia and is pushing for an exit.
Aprilia are not acknowledging the exit clause in the contract as they believe it is invalid due to the rider’s injuries. Martin’s injuries are ‘not specified’ in the clause, giving him the freedom to exit the manufacturer, which he doubled down on in a recent statement.
As Honda prepare to make a move on Martin, the MotoGP world has been stunned by the news, with several key figures giving their thoughts on the situation.
Marc Marquez hopes Jorge Martin ‘recovers soon’ amid Aprilia situation
This is not the first time the 2024 champion has looked to leave a team early. Martin broke his KTM contract in 2020 during his Moto2 campaign, allowing him to make his MotoGP debut with Pramac in 2021.
The 27-year-old later left the Tuscany-based team for Aprilia. Martin was snubbed by Marc Marquez for a factory Ducati seat in 2025 and decided to leave the manufacturer entirely out of spite.
Marquez has been in a similar position to Martin very recently. The six-time MotoGP champion agreed to mutually terminate his contract with Honda to allow him to join Gresini in 2024.
Naturally, as Martin’s situation at Aprilia unravels, Marquez was asked to comment on the matter at the British GP. But the 32-year-old refused to give his thoughts, as his fellow compatriot had not spoken publicly yet.
Now that his stance is known, Marquez was asked again to comment on the matter while at the opening of a Ducati dealership in Barcelona. He said, via quotes from the Spanish edition of Motorsport.com, that he hopes ‘above all’ that Martin recovers and returns to the grid.
“I’m aware of what’s happening in the MotoGP world, and when I read the news about Jorge Martín, well, he’ll have his reasons, he’ll have his explanations.”
“So, above all, let’s hope he recovers soon and we can get him back on the grid as soon as possible.”
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Jorge Martin surprised Aprilia with his antics at first public appearance since activating exit clause
Martin hopes to return ‘before’ the summer break, but he wants to ensure that he is 100% fit when he does. The Spaniard was still struggling from the effects of his left-hand fractures when he returned in Qatar, only to break 11 ribs and suffer a pneumothorax in a crash during the Grand Prix.
His recovery has been going well, with Martin recently spotted at the Aprilia All Stars event at Misano, an event he was contractually obliged to attend. It marked the first time the 27-year-old rode a bike since his crash at Qatar.
Martin did something that was ‘not expected’ as he was seen riding the RS660 a day before the event was scheduled. The urge to ride a bike took over, showing his desire to get back on the MotoGP grid, even if he wants to leave Aprilia.
Rivola was very pleased with Martin and his approach to the event. Aprilia’s boss will hope this will be a step towards the situation being resolved one way or another.
