 |
| Jorge Martin Stands His Ground: “I Don’t Regret Choosing My Future Over Aprilia. |
Jorge Martin has finally broken his silence after months of contract drama with Aprilia, making it clear that he has no regrets about the decisions he made—even if they stirred tension inside the paddock.
Speaking ahead of the Czech Grand Prix in Brno, where he’ll make his return after recovering from a brutal injury, Martin openly said he never apologized to Aprilia. Why? Because he believes he did what was necessary for his future in MotoGP.
“I don’t regret anything,” Martin said during a media briefing. “Every decision I made over the past few months was about protecting my future. That’s the only thing I was thinking about.”
Martin had been sidelined since crashing in Qatar during his attempted comeback from a previous injury. The crash left him with 12 fractured ribs and sleepless nights—an experience he says nobody can truly understand unless they’ve lived it.
“When you’re lying in a hospital bed with 12 broken ribs and you can’t sleep for a week, you see things differently,” he explained. “I had to make choices with my future in mind, and I still believe I made the right ones.”
The tension began in May, when Martin attempted to activate a performance clause in his contract, aiming to leave Aprilia in 2026 and sign with another team. While Aprilia insisted they would hold him to the agreement, Spanish media recently reported that Martin has decided to stay—news he confirmed this week.
When asked if he had apologized to Aprilia, his answer was firm: “No, I didn’t. I don’t feel like I need to. I’ve talked with the team, but I did what I thought was right for my career. That’s the most honest answer I can give.”
Despite the fallout, Martin emphasized the importance of clear communication between rider and team, especially in high-pressure situations like this.
“Of course, when you walk back into the paddock after all that, you can feel the tension,” he admitted. “But at the end of the day, the key is communication. If something’s not right, I can speak to them. If they feel something’s wrong, they can speak to me.”
He also acknowledged that rebuilding trust will take time, but he’s committed to doing it—for the sake of the team and his performance on track.
“I’ve spoken with everyone, including the test team I worked with last week and with Massimo. We’re all in this together. It’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to fight to make this work.”
Martin closed by saying that having a close-knit, supportive environment in the paddock is incredibly important to him—and that’s what he’ll be working on next.
“I want to build a family again here. I’m ready to work hard, and I’ll give everything to bring great results. That’s my focus now.”
As the Czech GP weekend approaches, all eyes are back on Jorge Martin—not just to see how he performs, but how he rebounds from one of the most turbulent moments in his MotoGP journey.