Aleix Espargaro has expressed confidence in Jorge Martin’s ability to achieve success with the Aprilia MotoGP team, citing his impressive results with the bike despite lacking the natural talent that other title contenders possess.
Martin, the reigning 2024 MotoGP world champion, will make the switch to the factory Aprilia squad for the 2025 season after being denied a move to Ducati’s works team. Although Martin has ruled out defending his title in his first year with Aprilia, Espargaro, who retired from full-time racing at the end of 2024, believes the young Spaniard’s move will be a successful one, drawing on his own experiences with Aprilia.
“I have always believed that we can fight for the world championship with Aprilia, and I say this with the utmost sincerity,” Espargaro said in a DAZN documentary. “I don’t have even a sliver of the talent that those who have fought for the title possess, and yet I managed to win races with this bike, obtained pole positions, and set records on many tracks.”
Espargaro’s belief in Martin’s potential stems from his own success with Aprilia, despite not being considered a natural talent like the championship contenders. He acknowledges that while Martin may not win the title in 2025, he will certainly make an impact.
“I’m not saying that Jorge will be able to do it this year, but he will certainly be able to have his say,” Espargaro added.
Martin had his first test on the Aprilia RS-GP in November 2024 at the Barcelona circuit, and the feedback was more positive than expected, according to Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola. The 2024 world champion will team up with Marco Bezzecchi for the 2025 season, and Fabiano Sterlacchini will replace Romano Albesiano as the new technical director after Albesiano moved to Honda.
Espargaro also cautioned that Pedro Acosta, the rising star from KTM, could be a serious contender for the 2025 title, even if Ducati remains the dominant force.
“My former team is doing a great job, but KTM can enjoy an incredible star like Pedro,” Espargaro said. “So, without a doubt, he will be among the title contenders – although the Desmosedici is currently much superior to the others.”
As the 2025 season approaches, the combination of Martin’s move to Aprilia and the emergence of other talents like Acosta promises to make the next MotoGP season one of the most competitive yet.
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