JORGE MARTIN SAYS HE WOULD NOT CHANGE HIS APRILIA STORY DESPITE YAMAHA MOVE

Jorge Martin says he would not change anything about his decision to join Aprilia, even though he is now leading the MotoGP world championship with the team. The Spaniard currently tops the standings at Aprilia, but his future is already set: he will leave at the end of the season to join Yamaha, stepping in as the replacement for Fabio Quartararo. The switch was first reported in February, before the 2026 campaign began, and was later confirmed at the start of July.

In an interview with Sport, Martin was asked whether he would have made the same choice if he had known he would be “leading” the championship at this stage. He declined to dwell on hypotheticals, saying, “I’m not going to get into that now, but it’s clear I wouldn’t change a thing about what’s happened. I’m with Aprilia and I have a great opportunity to finish strong.”

Martin also addressed the criticism that has followed his career moves. He noted that his critics can “say ‘what they want’,” adding that he is not interested in arguing whether his decisions were right or wrong. “Let them say what they want, I’m not going to argue about whether it’s right or wrong,” he said. “What motivates me most right now is being able to make history with this brand. That’s why I came here in the first place, back when everyone was saying the same thing: that it was a mistake. And here I am, a leader. So I want to stay focused on my work, not on what people are saying about me. I’m not interested in it, and it doesn’t benefit me at all. I’m just trying to do my job well and see how far I can go.”

The Yamaha move has also been framed against earlier attempts to secure other opportunities. Martin previously tried to join Honda last year via an exit clause in his Aprilia contract, but instead ended up choosing Yamaha. When asked why he selected Yamaha over Honda, he said, “In the end, things happen as they happen.” He added that his decisions were made with his personal situation in mind: “I can’t speak for other brands, but all the decisions I’ve made have been because I believe they were best for me and my family.”

Looking ahead, Martin believes the doubters will have to reconsider next year when Yamaha aims to return to the front. He pointed out that since the start of 2025, Yamaha has been the slowest manufacturer in MotoGP, but he expects that to change.

Martin will race for Yamaha alongside Ai Ogura, who is also leaving Aprilia machinery. While teammate Marco Bezzecchi has renewed his deal, team leadership has insisted that both riders will be treated equally, with Massimo Rivola making that point.