Reports in Italy have indicated Jorge Martin’s preferred destination if he is able to engineer a move away from Aprilia.
On Monday morning, a bombshell report from the Spanish language version of motorsport.com said Jorge Martin is looking to quit Aprilia at the end of this season and enact a performance clause in his current contract.
It has been reported that Martin’s current deal with Aprilia stipulates that the second year of his contract would be activated if he was among the title contenders by the French Grand Prix.
That hasn’t come to pass, with Martin informing Aprilia of his desire – though with the possibility of the performance deadline being extended to September’s San Marino Grand Prix.
Aprilia is set to fight this legally, as Martin has only competed in a single grand prix so far this season due to numerous injuries.
A crash in the Qatar Grand Prix left him with 11 fractures ribs and facing a potential layoff period until July’s German Grand Prix.
Martins sits last in the standings, 171 points off the championship lead.
Revealed: Jorge Martin’s preferred new MotoGP team
Honda
According to Sky Sports Italy, Martin is looking to exercise this performance clause in order to make a move to Honda next year.
Honda is the only manufacturer currently with a vacancy at its works squad for 2026, with Luca Marini’s deal expiring at the end of the year.
Read more: The bitter ramifications of Jorge Martin’s bombshell Aprilia exit
Martin is thought to have been unconvinced by the potential of the Aprilia so far this year from the sidelines.
Aprilia is last in the standings right now and is the only manufacturer not to have scored a podium yet in 2025 – though KTM’s second-place finish in Qatar was later removed from it for a tyre pressure infringement.
Its leading rider in the standings is Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura in 10th, with the Japanese star achieving its best grand prix result of fifth at the season-opening round in Thailand.
Honda, meanwhile, has shown rapid improvement in 2025, scoring its first top five in over two years in Qatar before Johann Zarco won the rain-hot French Grand Prix last weekend.
At Honda, Martin would also reunite with a familiar face in test rider Aleix Espargaro – who helped facilitate the reigning champion’s Aprilia move in the first place.
But Honda has also been linked to other high-profile riders, including Pedro Acosta – whose manager Albert Valera also looks after Martin.
Martin signed his two-year Aprilia contract just under a year ago when Ducati made a U-turn on its decision to promote him to its factory team.
Aprilia had been unsuccessful earlier last year in signing 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo, with it unable to match the financial offer Yamaha put in front of the Frenchman.
However, it is thought it significantly increased its money offer when Martin became available.
Aprilia has declined to comment on the issue.
Honda is also likely to stay out of the conversation publicly while Martin remains contracted to Aprilia, with the Japanese brand not willing to make any offer until he is a free agent.
