Spain’s MotoGP world championship leader Jorge martin will replace Aleix Espargaro next season as he moves from Ducati to the Noale factory.
Aprilia Racing have confirmed the talented racer will replace the retiring fellow Spaniard Aleix Espargaro for 2025, with the #89 bike rider signing a multi-year contract.
The Aprilia factory announced the news at 6pm on Monday evening after the Mugello test had ended.
Martin currently races for the Prima Pramac Ducati team and, after seven rounds thus far this season, he tops the championship standings and leads defending world champion Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by 18 points.
The big story that Martin is joining Aprilia ends speculation about the 2023 season runner-up’s potential move to the factory Ducati outfit, which was heavily suggested ahead of the Italian GP last weekend, but that spot has just been handed to multi-time former world champion Marc Marquez during this “silly season” period of the year.
These may indeed be strange times, because, just a few seasons ago, it would have been unthinkable that the Japanese bike brands such as Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha would not be the feature bikes.
But now it’s all the European brands on top, with the best of the Japanese bike riders this season, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo, the world champion for Yamaha just three years ago, in 2021, currently languishing in 12th spot.
A Japanese bike brand also won the MotoGP crown the previous year, Spain’s Joan Mir riding a Suzuki to overall victory in 2020.
And for four consecutive seasons before that it was Spain’s Marc Marquez, riding a Honda, who dominated MotoGP (winning the title from 2016 to 2019 inclusive).
Now it’s all Ducati, KTM and Aprilia.
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said: “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.
“Thanks to Dr. Michele Colaninno for this opportunity, we spoke last night and without wasting any time we made the decision.”
Photo courtesy MotoGP
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Leading MotoGP World Championship standings after round 7:
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