MotoGP title leader Jorge Martin joins Aprilia for the 2025 season, clearing the way for Marc Marquez to become Francesco Bagnaia’s Ducati team-mate.
Hot on the heels of reports that Marc Marquez has snatched the 2025 factory Ducati seat away from title leader Jorge Martin, Aprilia officially announced that Martin will replace the retiring Aleix Espargaro next season.
Martin has signed a ‘multi-year’ deal with Aprilia, which was swiftly completed after consultation with Piaggio boss Michele Colaninno on Sunday night.
“A path of unstoppable growth, Jorge is a building block to reach the goal we are all looking for with great hunger at Aprilia Racing,” said Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola.
“Thanks to Dr. Michele Colaninno for this opportunity, we spoke last night and without wasting any time we made the decision.”
The news completes a dramatic Mugello weekend for Martin, a Pramac rider since joining MotoGP in 2021 and now twice overlooked for the factory Ducati seat.
Martin was tipped to become Francesco Bagnaia’s future Ducati team-mate on the eve of the Mugello weekend – only for Ducati to be blindsided when Marquez rejected the option of a consolation move from Gresini to Martin’s factory-spec bike at Pramac.
Fearing they could lose the eight-time world champion altogether, Ducati looks to have performed a massive U-turn and decided to sacrifice Martin – and current Bagnaia team-mate Enea Bastianini – to keep Marquez.
Martin had long made clear he would not remain at Ducati as a satellite rider, sending him into the arms of Aprilia.
It is unknown if Martin was officially informed he would not get the 2025 factory Ducati seat or simply refused to wait any longer and took matters into his own hands.
The Martin-Aprilia announcement was revealed via a short social-media video also featuring Espargaro, hinting at the sudden, last-minute nature of the deal.
The young Spaniard currently leads reigning double champion Bagnaia by 18 points and, if he holds on to make history as the first satellite MotoGP champion, could take the #1 plate to Aprilia next season.
Martin’s move all but confirms that Marc Marquez will be an official Ducati rider in 2025, returning the #93 to the full factory status he enjoyed at Repsol Honda, after impressing during seven appearances on a year-old Gresini GP23.
Bastianini is tipped to switch to GASGAS Tech3, while Pramac’s future is now shrouded in uncertainty once again since, having lost out on both Martin and Marquez, Yamaha’s satellite offer could appear more tempting.
Maverick Vinales, Espargaro’s current Aprilia team-mate, is yet to sign for 2025.
