Written by Owen Bradley
Jorge Martin will join Aprilia Racing in 2025, replacing Aleix Espargaro at the Factory team, and leaving Pramac Ducati at the end of this season.
This news comes after months of speculation on who will join the Factory Ducati team, as it has not been announced yet. Enea Bastianini is likely to be leaving the Factory Ducati team after a difficult couple of years, with the titans of MotoGP in Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin and even Marco Bezzecchi vying for the second seat alongside Francesco Bagnaia.
However, despite reports just last week that Martin had secured a deal with Ducati, it has now been officially announced that the Spaniard will depart Ducati entirely, switching manufacturers to Aprilia. Martin has spent his entire premier class career aboard a Ducati, and even managed to finish second place in the standings just last year.
Despite bringing the championship down to the wire against Bagnaia, and even currently leading the championship in 2024 against the Factory team, it appears that the Bologna based squad have opted to choose Marquez over Martin.
Aprilia will gain a valuable asset in Martin, who has been using older Ducati machinery than his championship rivals and has still managed to beat them on frequent occasion. Moving up to the premier class in 2021, Martin quickly became an adored figure in the paddock by Ducati and the Spanish fans.
Martin's rough and aggressive riding style, particularly in 2023, went under much scrutiny by the press and media, however in 2024 Martin seems to have much more control over the bike. Reminiscent of Jorge Lorenzo, Martin has been unstoppable on occasion, especially when in a rhythm and undisrupted by another rider.
Aprilia's motorcycle is smoother through corners and turning ability when compared to the Ducati, which makes Martin's style an attractive prospect for the Italian-based team. Whilst losing the Factory Ducati seat may appear to be a blow to Martin and his 2025 championship hopes, Aprilia have been one of the few manufacturers on the grid to put a real challenge and threat to Ducati, with Honda and Yamaha both struggling in recent years.
It is expected that the announcement of Marc Marquez joining the Factory Ducati team for 2025 will be imminent, and something that will delight fans across the world, as yet another thrilling championship battle is likely in store for next season.
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