Aprilia surprised many by announcing Jorge Martín as one of their riders in MotoGP for 2025. The Noale-based constructor has made significant progress in recent years and, although they aren’t yet winning regularly, they are aiming for championships.
The belief is that Martín will be a key part of their title aspirations, while Viñaled didn’t renew and will be racing for KTM Tech3. Manuel Pecino, a renowned Spanish journalist, has some insights into this signing.
On his YouTube channel, PecinoGP, Pecino remarked before this Thursday’s announcement: ‘I read something [by Roger De Coster] saying: «No brand should hire a winning rider when their bike isn’t ready to win». What it means is: «Don’t sign a winning rider to make your bike a winner; hire him when you have a bike ready to win»’.
In this context, Pecino believes that Aprilia’s move suggests they don’t see Viñales as a potential champion: ‘The image projected by signing Jorge Martín is this: «Now we have the bike». And what does that automatically mean? That they don’t trust Maverick Viñales as a potential world title contender’.
Aprilia’s leaders have frequently praised Viñales’ abilities. Since joining in late 2021, he has significantly contributed to their progress. In fact, he is seen in Noale as the benchmark for current riders. However, that wasn’t enough to convince him to stay.