Francesco Bagnaia has weighed in on the growing speculation surrounding Jorge Martin’s reported attempt to exit his newly signed Aprilia MotoGP contract, insisting that “if you sign a contract, you must respect it.”
Speaking ahead of the 2025 British Grand Prix, the reigning world champion addressed Aprilia’s official statement confirming Martin’s contract “remains valid and in effect” after rumours emerged suggesting the Spaniard was seeking a way out of the deal.
Bagnaia, who fought Martin closely for the 2023 and 2024 titles, said, “I was waiting for some confirmation from Aprilia. They’ve done the right thing. Once you sign, you must follow the terms—you can’t just cancel it.”
He emphasized the importance of honouring commitments, even amid the pressure of public speculation. “We’re living in an era where social media causes a lot of confusion. It’s hard to separate fact from fiction,” he noted. “Aprilia made the right call, and Jorge made the right choice by signing. Now, it must be respected.”
While Martin’s contract is reported to contain an escape clause, Bagnaia admits he’s never had one and doesn’t agree with the idea of using it to walk away. “Even in moments when I wanted to change my path, I knew it wasn’t the right thing. A deal is a deal.”
On the mental challenges that might drive riders to exit contracts, Bagnaia remained firm: “You have to do your best to fix things. It’s like a marriage—if you choose to commit, you must work to be happy.”
The Ducati star was also asked about teammate Marc Marquez, who controversially ended his Honda contract early to join Gresini Racing in 2024, before moving to the factory Ducati team this season. Bagnaia remained consistent in his view: “If you sign a contract, you must respect it. Exiting early isn’t right.”
