Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Martin has officially broken his silence and confirmed his intention to leave Aprilia at the end of the 2025 season.
This comes after reports emerged during the French Grand Prix suggesting that Martin was exploring a performance-based exit clause in his Aprilia contract. Despite spending much of the current season sidelined due to injury, Martin was believed to be considering exercising this clause depending on Aprilia’s position in the championship after the first six races.
Aprilia responded swiftly after those reports, releasing a public statement ahead of the British Grand Prix denying any possibility of Martin breaking his contract early, and warning rival teams against pursuing him. That same weekend, Marco Bezzecchi delivered a British GP victory for Aprilia, with CEO Massimo Rivola insisting the result was a clear message to Martin: the RS-GP is a competitive machine.
Despite Aprilia’s public stance, Martin has now issued a personal statement via Instagram, confirming his plan to leave the Italian manufacturer once the season concludes.
In his message, Martin explains that his contract always included a performance clause—a key reason why he initially accepted Aprilia’s offer. He emphasized that he has not breached any agreement and clarified that the clause allowed him the right to reconsider his future for 2026 if certain performance targets weren’t met.
Martin acknowledged the impact of his injury on the evaluation process but revealed that he has been in discussions with Aprilia to extend the performance assessment window to include more races once he returns to full fitness.
He expressed appreciation for Aprilia’s team and their efforts but urged the company to honor the original spirit of their agreement. Martin insisted he wants clarity about his career trajectory after enduring a difficult period, and said he is simply exercising his contractual right.
He concluded by stating:
“There is no conflict or reproach. I just want to be able to look ahead with clarity, after very difficult times and a very serious injury, and to continue to give the best of myself on and off the track.”
Aprilia has yet to respond to Martin’s statement, which contradicts the manufacturer’s earlier claims that his future with them was secure.
Honda remains the rumored front-runner for Martin’s next destination in 2026.
