Let's talk MotoGP: Jorge Martin didn't say everything and that's a shame

As expected, everything exploded. Yesterday, the Jorge Martin affair took a completely different turn: the Spaniard finally spoke out, and it wasn't a moment too soon. While it's always difficult to read between such tightly-knit lines, I offer a slightly offbeat analysis, just to give you some perspective. Sit back, and let's go!

 

Martin was not alone

 

At this time, My enlightened readers have already learned of this incredible news that everyone is talking about.. Martin, through a rather long press release, let his pen dipped in vitriol express itself to say... well, not to say much.

 

 

What shocked me when I read this text was the language used. The content is important, and we'll come back to that, but no one paid attention to the form. Martin and his team chose the press release, in Spanish and English. This was done on Instagram, the preferred means of communication for personal announcements, but This message was absolutely not intended for his fans. We find, through these few lines, this kind of legal language that horrifies me, the one that says everything, but says nothing, the one that addresses a few people, but is intended for the popular masses. I am not going to say that I am surprised to have to reread the text ten times to understand something, because I believe I understand the economic stakes of this decision. But clearly, I would have preferred a simpler, more direct communication, more human.

Two things to remember on this point: I am ready to bet my life that this text was written by a team of lawyers and jurists., which means that the Martin clan is ready to engage in such a battle. We know that he is represented by a prestigious Spanish law firm, and we can particularly feel its influence when reading this press release.

 

Is he staying or is he leaving?

 

Many people rightly understood that this was a way to announce without leaving while remaining within the framework of the law, and of this famous contract. This is normal, because the current dynamic tends towards a divorce between the two partiesIf Martin wanted to stay and if these rumors were just hot air, he would have opted for a much more frank statement. And if Rivola wasn't worried about a departure, he wouldn't have sent a message to the "Martinator" in front of the whole world following Marco Bezzecchi's victory at Silverstone. We agree on that: It smells like separation.

Except that nothing clearly states in the press release that he will leave – that is the whole force of this language. It does say that "except in special circumstances [he reserved himself] the right to decide [his] future in 2026. » We understand that. But in fact, further on, information comes to supplement this statement and makes everything more confusing: « The goal is for both parties to be able to give each other a second chance and feel comfortable before making a decision for 2026." He was referring here to his injury which caused the contractual imbroglio, as it could render the release clause (which I talked about in this article) expired.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, and I'm missing the point—I'm serious, no irony here—but I don't see any closed doors, no immediate break between the two parties. However, if we analyze the situation from a distance, it's difficult to imagine a happy future between Martin and Aprilia. because of the very existence of this press release.

 

 

The way is ugly

 

I was quite disappointed in Martin when the rumor started to get going, and I am no less so today. We must not forget that it was the press that informed us of the existence of this clause, and of Martin's desire to activate it. The information leaked, and we knew, after Le Mans, that the reigning world champion had already started discussions with Honda – which Alberto Puig more or less denied by stating that he would not recruit a driver under contract with another brand, but perhaps this was another pirouette.

The fact that we learn it like that, and It saddens me that Jorge Martin communicates in such a procedural manner., because that, "is not my MotoGP". It's like Formula 1, and even then! Oscar Piastri, at the heart of a contractual controversy with Alpine a few years ago, got away with it without tarnishing his image, because he was sincere, direct, more concise. We will talk again about the choice of Jorge Martin when we know more, because, for the moment, it is impossible to say where he will end up despite the Honda suspicion. But know that I'm not a fan of how Martin handled this period., and, what's more, I absolutely don't think it will benefit him in the future. I won't say any more for the moment.

 

How did Aprilia get scammed?

 

It should be noted that this is not the first time this has happened in motorsports. Earlier, I mentioned the Piastri affair, who was originally supposed to drive for Alpine in F1 and now finds himself fighting for the 2025 world title with McLaren. It always surprises me that companies with almost unlimited legal resources, or at least far greater than those of the drivers, get taken in by including clauses as strange as the one added by Massimo Rivola at the last minuteAs a reminder, it would allow Martin to break his contract if he did not finish in the top three at the end of the first six races, if we are to believe Motorsport, who are the ones who discovered the can of worms. The first three. But even if he was in good shape, he might not have made it!

Ultimately, if a small team that wanted to sign a superstar had done this to keep him in their ranks for a while, I would have understood. But at the time, we must not forget that Aprilia was in a strong position when it recruited Martin, and not just a little! In his press release, he states that the presence of such a clause was “a prerequisite to allow yourself the opportunity to test the motorcycle in real conditions”. "This way I could feel comfortable signing for two years instead of one." he added. But let's say Aprilia refuses. What could he do? If Pramac had stayed with Ducati, his situation would not have changed. And if Pramac had nevertheless severed its historic ties with the Borgo Panigale firm, Martin would undoubtedly have wanted to find another solution to remain competitive without waiting for Yamaha to return to business.

Where could he go? Apparently, he's burned at KTM, for a similar case dating back to 2020, before his move to MotoGPHe probably wouldn't have wanted to go to Yamaha and Honda, who, without the concessions on their side, were absolutely not at the same level of performance as now. Aprilia was a golden opportunity, it saved him, in a way. Why was he able to negotiate such a powerful clause with a brand that clearly had the upper hand, and that could have easily found another driver? It should be noted that many industry observers and former agents, like me, are questioning the relevance of this choice.

Here's what I had to say about this matter, while we wait to see what he and Aprilia will do next. What did you think of this press release? Please feel free to express yourself in the comments, because I must admit that it is difficult to see clearly.

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport