Aprilia saw Aleix Espargaró leave, who over the years had a vital role that earned him the nickname “Capitano” (“Captain”). Now, he will leave at the end of the year to retire full-time from MotoGP, with Jorge Martín being his successor. However, according to Aprilia Racing’s CEO, Massimo Rivola, if Maverick Viñales stays, he will inherit that honorary position.
The Italian made it clear who will be the leader among the riders in 2025: ‘If Maverick stays, the new “Capitano” will be Maverick, because he fought in a tough period for Aprilia, he brought Aprilia to the top and showed us a different way of riding the bike than Aleix. If he stays, the captain will be Maverick and not Jorge‘.
Although recognizing Martín’s merit, Rivola emphasized that Viñales has the seniority and experience with Aprilia: ‘I’m sorry for Jorge, but you have to earn merit on the track – he earned it, but on another bike. But in any team, you give the position to the most experienced and oldest. Maverick went through the process with us. Let’s see‘.
Aprilia will now try to close the renewal with Viñales. The Spaniard is going through a very positive period in his career, but it is speculated that he will have a very tempting financial offer from Honda on the table – although, in terms of sports, the Japanese manufacturer does not provide the immediate success guarantees that Aprilia can offer.
