Jorge Martin defends Yamaha switch: ‘They said going to Aprilia would be a disaster’

Jorge Martin is convinced he has made the right choice to join Yamaha’s MotoGP team in 2027, saying his move to Aprilia was also questioned two years ago.

Next year, Martin will switch from the manufacturer that is currently leading the championship to one that sits firmly at the bottom of the table.

While the advent of the new 850cc rule cycle could shake up the competitive order, Yamaha has consistently struggled for performance since it won the title in 2021 with Fabio Quartararo. Its switch to a new V4 engine this year has so far done little to close the gap to the front, prompting even Quartararo to leave the team in favour of Honda.

However, Martin said he is unfazed by what critics think of his move, insisting he made the decision to join the Iwata-based brand after careful consideration.

“I believe that in life you have to make certain decisions,” he told DAZN. “In 2024, I had to make a decision in a hurry. Now I’ve had the chance to make another decision more calmly, with more time.

“I’ve always made decisions with what was best for me and my family in mind, and I believe this is the best one.

“Just like when I signed for Aprilia – it was a disaster; where was I going with an Aprilia, a team that had never won – and yet here I am, leading the championship. Next year or in two years’ time, let the world and the public say what they will.”

Martin signed a two-year deal with Aprilia in the summer of his title-winning 2024 campaign, after being snubbed for a promotion to Ducati’s factory squad.

At that time, the Noale-based manufacturer was struggling for consistency, with Maverick Vinales’ brilliant victory at the Americas Grand Prix an outlier in an otherwise tough season in which it failed to score another podium.

However, Aprilia has made rapid strides since then to end Ducati’s dominance in MotoGP, with the two Italian brands now going head-to-head for the championship in 2026.

In the meantime, Martin himself has had to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2025 campaign to return to title contention.

The 28-year-old pointed to a meeting with Aprilia technical director Fabiano Sterallacchini as evidence of their shared desire to win the title in the final year of the 1000cc era.

“It’ll be a level playing field. I trust Fabiano. I can see that he’s doing everything in his power to help me improve,” he said.

“At the start of the year, he came to Andorra and said to me: ‘I want to bring back that Jorge from 2024; I want to bring out all that talent again.’ He’s largely managed to do that.

“I’m confident he’ll keep doing it and will continue to help me improve right up until the very last day we’re together.”

Martin’s relationship with Aprilia reached a breaking point last year, as he tried to extricate himself from his contract while recovering from his early-season injuries.

Since then, both sides have made efforts to mend fences, but with Martin leaving at the end of the year, Aprilia’s long-term future now rests with Marco Bezzecchi.

The championship leader said his relationship with the team is “back on track”, as they enter an intense phase in the championship fight.

“We don’t have to be friends either. They want to win; I want to win,” he said.

“The important thing is that we’re clear about our roles and pull in the same direction; none of us wants to fall out, but given everything that’s happened – what with the legal battles and all that – being able to sit down to dinner together, get on well and take my team to Ibiza for two days, I think we’ve really got the relationship back on track.”

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