At the end of the 2025 season, the potential bomb from Jorge Martin was split from Aprilia raised questions about the strength of the MotoGP contract.
Following the French Grand Prix, a bomb report emerged that says world champion Jorge Martin is about to break his contract with Aprilia in 2026 in pursuit of a potential factory Honda Switch.
Martin, who has only been riding for numerous injuries this season over the weekend of one race, is reportedly trying to enact a performance clause in the contract that stipulates that he can leave if a certain outcome threshold has not been reached.
There have been reports that Martin is open to extending the deadline for the San Marino Grand Prix in September, but the deadline for that threshold to be met was the French Grand Prix.
At the British Grand Prix on Thursday, Aprilia issued a statement denies that there were negotiations for this effect and that the contract must be respected until the end of 2026.
Contract protection has been a topic of discussion in recent years, particularly on lower class riders. The deal ended during the season and there was no chance to compete with the corner from a legal standpoint.
Jack Doohan, Alpine
©XPB Image
According to one rider, MotoGP example of F1 is not following
Formula 1 has a contract approval committee to ensure the legality of transactions. This recently helped McLaren sign the 2023 Oscar Piastry signature, which was originally announced as one of its drivers.
This is intended to stop drivers from being treated unfairly, but in the 2025 season, two changes to drivers have already happened in the season. Liam Lawson was banished from Red Bull just two rounds later, and Jack Doohan has now moved aside with the Alpine in favor of Franco Colapinto.
Last year, Logan Sargent was taken from Williams’ seat for Corapinto after the Italian Grand Prix.
MotoGP doesn’t have a contract committee, but LCR rider Johann Zarco thinks this is a good thing.
When Crash.Net asked Zarco and Marc Marquez at the UK Grand Prix on Thursday, they responded whether the MotoGP deal would provide enough protection from riders: “I am pleased that at that moment it’s not happening like Formula 1.
Marquez added: “To me, if you have a professional team around me, that means managers and teams – you’re well protected.”
In an exclusive interview with Clash after the press conference, Zarco explained in detail in his Formula 1 comments.
“I’ll hear things about the situation in Doohan,” he began.
“When I was sharing some information with other drivers, he (Duhan) arrives there for almost political reasons, and in fact he gets kicked out, not for the consequences.
“And this was during the winter. It was weird. Now, in MotoGP, when riders catch their position, it’s because they deserve it.
“He signed MotoGP and has been with MotoGP top guy since his first race, and for me, that’s why he’s there.
“There are a few riders who can stay in the category because of their low pay, so that’s a good opportunity for the brand because they’re not exceptional, they’re good enough riders to play.
“It doesn’t cost that much on the team at least. These are still some riders complaining, but at least everyone’s level is still good.
“Because of this, they can’t be kicked out and brought anyone else.
“And we know that it’s hard for them to get faster because we have someone else.
“I like this with MotoGP. I hope we can keep it up. And it’s good to be able to show that if you don’t understand MotoGP you can’t do it.
“If they knew Jack wasn’t going well in Formula 1, why would you sign him? It looks so random. They can get an 18-year-old guy into the car and it works.
Zarco chose to quit his KTM contract a year earlier in 2019, but was due to watch the season until he chose to immediately and effectively remove him after San Marino Grand Prix.
The French eventually signed Avintia Ducati in 2020, which also led to Carrel Abraham closing the contract for that season to make the path for Zarco.