Aprilia gave the first push to the drivers market, hiring Jorge Martin to replace him Aleix Espargarò (at his suggestion, since they are great friends). The young Spaniard will occupy a “top rider” slot to try to take the Noale bike even higher. Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing, told Mugello how the negotiation was born and how it developed.
“I’m very happy – says Rivola on the news of Martin’s hiring – it’s part of the team’s growth. I have to thank many people, first and foremost our President Michele Colaninno. The championship is still long, fortunately we have a short break to digest everything and get back to focusing on the next race, but first we will be in Misano for our party”
It comes back to the background of Martin’s hiring and the role of Espargarò
As Aprilia’s CEO himself stated, negotiations with various candidates for 2025 began when Aleix Espargarò announced his retirement as a regular MotoGP rider in Barcelona. “It all started from there, the strategy was not to make the first move so as not to give advantages to others. Last night we took the right opportunity and were quick to do everything. We found the agreement quickly, thanks also to Aleix Espargarò and here we are.”
Then he adds: “I’m thinking of a role for Aleix as my personal assistant (laughs). Aleix is very good friends with both Vinales and Martin and I think he presented the Aprilia project to Jorge in the way he himself is experiencing it. The weather was a factor, we were very fast. Last night, after the call received from Martin’s manager, I called the boss in turn telling him that we had the opportunity to take Martin and he gave me the ok. Our legal team did everything overnight and I would like to say that Martin’s choice was made for Aprilia’s consistent growth. We are the only team that has won races besides Ducati. Martin is another piece of the puzzle we are putting together.”
On Colaninno’s approval he says: “I was the one who called, the boss was quite angry and we needed to find an equally angry and motivated pilot. I’m not surprised that he did it, we are growing every year in terms of resources and the bike is the result of this growth. It’s good news, I can’t hide that I’m happy”.
It swirls between Martin’s contract and announcement and Vinales’ situation
In the drafting of MotoGP rider contracts you often see the wording “multi year contract”, a normal practice when starting a new chapter with a new rider. “Multi year is the common practice of contracts, but it has more effect. I think announcing at this point in the season and being the first to do it means we can do things quickly and then when we’ve done that we can focus on other things..”
On Vinales he explains: “From my point of view, Maverick is a fixed point, but I think I made a mistake anyway. I didn’t tell Maverick that we had taken Martin but we wanted to close the matter quickly. Maverick has led the team to take a big step forward, it is at a level that he is the point of reference for Aprilia. I think that with Maverick and Jorge we have a great driver duo.”
Which second driver if Vinales doesn’t renew?
At the moment, with Martin’s entry in 2025, Aprilia has a very strong pair of riders on paper but Vinales’ future is not guaranteed to be in Noale yet. The Spaniard admitted that he is looking around to find another solution, in which case Rivola will go with an Italian rider. “After Barcelona we started talking to several riders, and not just Jorge, to understand what the market situation was. I also spoke with Bastianini and other managers, I think I made the right choice.”
On Vinales and Bastianini he says: “First we need to understand what Vinales wants to do, if he decides to stay I’m the happiest person in the world, it means there’s no room for Enea. Enea is one of the riders I’ve always wanted to bring here for a long time, we’ll see, it’s difficult to predict now. I see many strong Italians, maybe it’s the right time but now it’s not the priority.”
Rivola between the reversed situation with Ducati and the new Captain of Aprilia
If in the past Aprilia’s technical leader, Gigi Dall’Igna, moved from Aprilia to Ducati, this time it is the current leader of the standings Jorge Martin who moves from Ducati to Aprilia. “I remember that in the times of covid, so in 2020, we had difficulty finding drivers, and it was difficult, now we have a long list of managers knocking on our door. It is the satisfaction of a company that is working in the correct way, we are doing a great job. We have the riders to win, Maverick and Aleix, but it’s not enough for us, we have to continue to grow as a company, the riders are part of this great puzzle.
Now that “Captain” Aleix Espargarò is retiring at the end of the season, all thoughts turn to the new Captain for next season who will not be Jorge Martin but Maverick Vinales, obviously if Top Gun remains in Aprilia. “If Maverick stays he will be the new Captain, he fought during Aprilia’s difficult period and brought it to the top, he showed us a different way of riding the bike compared to Aleix. Jorge must deserve the ranks of Captain on the track.”
Rivola and the strategies for Trackhouse on the drivers
To date, the Trackhouse satellite team has a good pair of riders in Oliveira and Raul Fernandez but should they choose new riders, Brivio and Rivola will consult before proceeding with the signatures. “Brivio and I are aligned, we have the same ideas about the riders. Trackhouse has a great future, it is moving on the technician market for next season. The team will choose the drivers, I will just say what I think, they currently have two good drivers who have not shown their full potential to date. When they choose we will see if they will go through us or not.”
On a possible American pilot he explains: “I don’t think it’s the case for an American driver, the market offers us good drivers. In an interview Davide Brivio said that it is not the case for Trackhouse to take a young man to grow for Apriliawe will go to the market to choose the best riders for the four bikes.”
