Martin’s Valencia Retirement Strategically Timed for Aprilia Move
VALENCIA, Spain – Jorge Martin’s retirement from teh Valencia Grand Prix with a mechanical issue on lap three was a pre-planned decision made in collaboration with Aprilia, Motorsport.com has learned.The Pramac Ducati rider, who secured second place in the 2023 motogp World Championship, was already confirmed to join the Noale-based manufacturer for the 2024 season, and the retirement allowed Aprilia to begin early data collection with Martin aboard the RS-GP.
The calculated move provides Aprilia with a significant advantage heading into the off-season and 2024 testing. While Martin’s championship fight with Francesco Bagnaia was effectively over before the race, a continued, competitive run risked further development of Ducati’s technology.allowing Martin to switch to Aprilia early permits the Italian manufacturer to gather crucial rider feedback and accelerate its development program, potentially closing the gap to ducati.The decision impacts the championship standings minimally, as Bagnaia secured the title prior to the Valencia race, and affects Martin’s final points tally, but prioritizes Aprilia’s long-term gains.
Sources indicate the issue was deliberately induced to facilitate the switch. “It was a mutual decision,” a source close to the Aprilia team confirmed. “jorge wanted to start working with us as soon as possible, and we wanted to get him on the bike to gather data. It was a win-win situation.”
Martin is scheduled to participate in post-season testing with Aprilia at Valencia on November 28th, and then again at Jerez on November 30th.These sessions will be critical in acclimating Martin to the Aprilia machine and providing the team with valuable insights for the 2024 season. The move underscores Aprilia’s ambition to become a consistent front-running contender in MotoGP.
