MotoGP champion Martin intends to leave Aprilia before 2026 season

MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin announced his intention to leave Aprilia ahead of the 2026 season on Thursday, a week after the Italian team said they expected the Spaniard to honour the two-year contract he signed with them.

The 27-year-old, who won his first MotoGP title last season with Pramac Racing, switched to Aprilia and has yet to score a point this year after seven rounds.

Wrist and ankle injuries sustained in a pre-season crash ruled him out of the first three rounds before a crash in his first race in Qatar led to a collapsed lung and bruised ribs.

When I made the decision to change manufacturers last year, one of my premises was to have the possibility to test the bike in real circumstances and to understand the team and its working methodology, Martin said in a statement.

In this way I could feel comfortable signing for two years instead of one, and so we included that condition.

Faced with the situation of having to make a decision on a date that is established by contract, I have decided to exercise my right to release myself for the 2026 season.

Aprilia said last week that they had not had any negotiations with Martin to change his contract while also warning other teams not to approach him.

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

Martin said he was taking control of his future as a professional athlete.

At no time have I ever breached the contract. When we signed it, I agreed with Aprilia that, if certain circumstances were not met, I reserved the right to decide my future for 2026, he added.

This was an essential condition for me to accept the contract proposal they offered me at that time.

Without Martin, Aprilia have struggled for results but finally won a race this