Newly crowned MotoGP champion Jorge Martin has hinted at the possibility of reuniting with Ducati in the future, despite a fractured relationship following the brand’s decision to bypass him for a factory seat.
The Spaniard had been the frontrunner to secure the coveted Ducati factory ride for 2024, but the team opted for six-time premier class champion Marc Marquez instead. The move left Jorge Martin disappointed, prompting him to part ways with the manufacturer he had represented since his MotoGP debut in 2020.
Jorge Martin recently signed a multi-year deal with Aprilia, starting in 2025, marking the next chapter of his career. However, during the Campioni in Festa event, where he represented Ducati until his contract’s conclusion on December 31, Jorge Martin expressed gratitude for the opportunities the Italian marque had afforded him.
“I can only thank Ducati. They gave me the chance to get to MotoGP, which is already very difficult,” Martin remarked. “When I arrived, the Desmosedici wasn’t a winning bike. It wasn’t the easiest project, but both they and I believed in ourselves.
“They gave me the opportunity to fight for a world championship until the end. Nobody thought it would end like this, but it did – I won the title. Maybe in the future, we can be together again.”
A Historic Triumph
Martin’s journey with Ducati culminated in a historic 2024 season where he became the first rider in MotoGP’s modern era to win the championship on a satellite bike. The Pramac Racing rider emphasized consistency as the key to his success, a marked shift from his approach during the 2023 campaign, where he fell short against factory rider Francesco Bagnaia.
Reflecting on his mindset entering the 2024 season, Martin said:
“Of course, I believed I could win. If you start the season not thinking about victory, you might as well stay home. I didn’t need the headache just to try without believing.”
Looking Ahead to Aprilia
As Martin prepares for his Aprilia debut, he acknowledges the challenges of transitioning from a championship-winning Ducati to a project still striving for front-runner status. Aprilia finished third in the constructors’ standings in 2024 but remains the only manufacturer to have beaten Ducati in a grand prix this season.
“We’ll start from scratch and learn,” Martin said. “Maybe we’ll begin very well, or maybe we’ll need to improve. Either way, I’m motivated.
“Changing from a winning bike to one that’s not at the top is tough, but it’s a challenge I embrace. Staying at Ducati with a title already in hand would have been great, but this gives me extra motivation to prove myself further in the world of motorcycles.”
Martin’s move to Aprilia represents not just a new chapter but also a test of his adaptability and determination. As he looks ahead to 2025, his gratitude toward Ducati and his optimism for the future demonstrate the champion’s relentless drive to succeed.
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