Jorge Martin has dropped a bombshell that has exposed the secret world of MotoGP contracts: he claims Ducati signed him up for a coveted factory seat in 2023 – only to break the deal and hand his dream job to a rival. In a game where trust is currency, betrayal couldn’t be more explosive.
The Spanish star, who moved up to MotoGP with Pramac in 2021 and quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with with wins, podiums and poles, now reveals he was promised the same factory ride he had spent years chasing. Instead, Ducati surprised the paddock by choosing Enea Bastianini to partner reigning champion Francesco Bagnia, forcing Martin to remain at Pramac for two more seasons. The revelation, made by Martin in a recent podcast appearance, exposes the brutal decision-making process that shapes MotoGP’s elite ranks and shines a harsh light on rider-team loyalty.
For Martin, the saga began after two exceptional seasons with Pramac, where his raw speed and aggressive racing caught the attention of Ducati. By his own account, a contract for a 2023 factory seat had already been signed – a dream realized on paper, if not in reality. But as 2022 came to a close, the Spaniard was blindsided. Ducati reversed course, denying him the chance to wear the coveted factory red, and instead tapped Bastianini, a move that left Martin in limbo.
“I really always wanted to prove to Ducati that I was right,” Martin said on the Gypsy Tales podcast. “I still think I was right, I think so, but as I said that year, ‘If Ducati doesn’t want me, I’ll give my talents to someone else.’ My talent will still be there and I can ride another motorcycle. Until I understood, it was all because we were always on the edge.
Martin’s insights into the power dynamics behind closed doors are as sharp as they are revealing. “2022, it was, I had already signed my contract for ’23 on a factory ride. At some point, they told me, ‘Okay, you’re not going there. We don’t want you. We want another rider.’ This was madness. I guess no one knows,” he confessed, lifting the curtain on a saga that would otherwise have remained hidden. “Then we signed another contract, okay, that’s fine. I accepted the situation because I was happy in the Pramac with the factory bike. So at the end of the day, it was no different. But then the next year, I was the runner-up. I reached the last race, let’s say, the last race. I was going really close to winning, and they wanted me back in the factory team, but they had another rider, a contract. I mean, contracts don’t make sense for big factories. And they just play with us, the riders, of course we give 100%, but yes, it is hard for us to understand.
The implications of Ducati’s decision extend far beyond the 2023 season. Martin, denied his shot at the factory team, channeled his frustration into results – finishing second in 2023 and then capturing the world championship the following year. Yet, despite climbing to the sport’s highest pinnacle, Ducati’s faith remained elsewhere. When the 2025 seat came up, Martin was once again overlooked, this time as the Italian marque signed multi-time champion Marc Marquez to Bagnaia. That was the last straw: Martin had had enough of being in danger and being fired.
Aprilia seized the moment and moved quickly to secure Martin’s signature on a two-year deal, shocking even his own team boss Massimo Rivola. Ducati, meanwhile, struggled to contain the fallout, acknowledging the difficulty of losing a rider of Martin’s calibre, but stuck to its headline-grabbing decision to unite Bagnaia and Marquez.
The seismic shift left Ducati with a star-studded duo that many teams would kill for, but at what cost? Martin’s revelations not only expose the brutal realities behind the glamour, but also set the stage for a fiery new rivalry as he brings his talents – and his own scores – to Aprilia to settle. With contracts now exposed as little more than bargaining chips, MotoGP’s transfer market looks more brutal than ever. The only guarantee: George Martin, now world champion and with a point to prove, is out for vengeance – and the entire paddock will be watching his next move.
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