Martin's 2026 MotoGP options if he triggers Aprilia exit

Jorge Martin's move to potentially extricate himself from his Aprilia MotoGP contract at the end of 2025 takes him back to a career crossroads a year earlier than expected.

Logically, a move like that is only made with a clear alternative destination in mind - but which of MotoGP's current manufacturers would be a good enough fit to justify such a disruptive move?

Here's a rundown of every theoretical option.

The 'no way' pair

A return to either the KTM camp or the Ducati camp feels like it can be dismissed outright for Martin, with the former totally impossible and the latter perhaps not impossible but generally unthinkable.

Martin's original exit from the KTM programme in 2021 (so he could join MotoGP with Ducati instead) was a proper exercise in bridge-burning, but while a proven track record of success can paper over past strife, there is hardly a worse fit imaginable right now than Martin's current interests and KTM's current interests.

The 2025-spec KTM RC16 has generally come alive, largely in Maverick Vinales's hands, after a moribund-looking start to the campaign, but the company's wider financial future and ability to support a top-tier premier-class programme are Jupiter-sized question marks.

Even ignoring the fact it has four works riders on two-year deals already, KTM is surely not in a position to pay Martin what he'd like to be paid, nor can it really be in any position to make any believable 2027 assurances.

Ducati does have an 'open' seat for 2026, but it's the VR46-controlled seat currently occupied by Franco Morbidelli that will presumably continue to be occupied by Franco Morbidelli.

And, anyway, Martin already left Ducati last year because he did not want to be a satellite rider, and Ducati already allowed itself to lose Martin because it felt it could stomach the blow.

Marc Marquez's lights-out start to the year has proven that latter hypothesis conclusively. And Pecco Bagnaia isn't going anywhere. Even if Ducati could somehow find room at the inn, any move for Martin would fly in the face of what has long looked a policy of not overspending a cent on an already-dominant programme.

Point of no return

Martin and manager Albert Valera could yet decide - whether through legal considerations, image considerations or 'the bike's not that bad after all' considerations - that the path of least resistance is seeing out the Aprilia deal as originally intended.

But for this partnership to have any sort of meaningful healthy future together would be borderline unprecedented.

Martin's move is a vote of no confidence - now effectively public - in a programme already reeling from his injury absence. He will not shake off the widespread understanding that he does not want to be there. And you cannot go racing like that for 22 rounds and 44 starts in a year.

There's probably a possibility still that Martin and Aprilia will race together in 2026, also because Aprilia has to have someone on the bike - but in truth this one is toast, and it's now just a matter of when.

At least worth exploring

The two-engined Yamaha project has been an active part of the rider market, even if its works line-up is contractually locked down for 2026.

An interest in Pirelli whisperer Toprak Razgatlioglu has been widely reported - specifically in connection to Pramac Yamaha. And Sky Sports Italy has thrown the name of Enea Bastianini, currently floundering a bit at KTM, into the mix.

The current Pramac line-up has Jack Miller on a one-year deal and Miguel Oliveira on what had been announced as a two-year deal, though it's certainly not being spoken about in that way right now.

"Conclusions about what we have and what we want to have will be drawn by the summer break. Before would be too early for our current riders. It would be very unfair towards Miguel in particular to draw a line under things now," Yamaha managing director MotoGP chief Paolo Pavesio told Speedweek.com recently, in what is certainly a curious choice of phrasing for a rider about whom, in theory, no conclusions need to be drawn if he's contracted through to the end of 2026.

Regardless of whether there's one Pramac Yamaha ride or two going, though, Martin and Valera would be negligent to not at least give Yamaha a call and ask if a '1+2' deal would appeal - one introductory year back at Pramac, followed by a guaranteed two years in the factory team as (presumably) Quartararo's team-mate.

I think Yamaha would probably agree to that. But Martin's willingness to return to satellite status for even one season is probably pretty low, and even if the next generation of Yamahas proves strong, the appeal of going up against Quartararo could well be limited.

The obvious choice

The Yamaha option I outlined above is, realistically, less a true option and more what Valera should present to Honda to convince it Martin has at least some leverage.

Because Honda must be the priority destination here. The Honda RC213V is coming on a bit, the technical structure and test team have been rejuvenated, and it's the one manufacturer - OK, two now with Aprilia - where you cannot point to a 'franchise rider'. Johann Zarco is the top performer, but at 34 is seven years older than Martin and was comprehensively beaten by Martin in their time together at Pramac.

Honda has the financial muscle to make it happen and the incentive to make it happen. And Martin has every reason to want this - his 2025 injury and loss of faith in Aprilia together mean that, realistically, there's already an acceptance the 2026 title is unwinnable, so it's all about stepping into the new rules cycle in '27 on the right foot.

Admittedly, Honda would probably be wise to at least wait and see what Martin's performance level is post-injury this year - but the way everything is going you have to wonder whether he'll actually race an Aprilia ever again.