Jorge Martin's Aprilia contract drama handled 'pretty poorly' by management, says Neil Hodgson as world champion returns in Czech Republic
Published 19/07/2025 at 12:26 GMT+1
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Jorge Martin has confirmed that he will remain with Aprilia for the 2026 season, concluding the contract drama surrounding the Spaniard, who had been linked with a switch to Honda. Neil Hodgson feels that the rider is not to blame, but instead his management team, who have "mismanaged" the 27-year-old. "It's his responsibility as a manager to control the situation," Hodgson said.
'He was mismanaged' - Hodgson blasts Martin's management over Aprilia contract
Video credit: TNT Sports
Neil Hodgson has criticised Jorge Martin's management for controlling the rider's contract situation with Aprilia "pretty poorly".
Martin recently confirmed that he will remain with the team in a surprise U-turn, despite his manager, Albert Valera, claiming that the Spanish rider will move on after the current campaign.
"I was surprised," Hodgson told TNT Sports on the news that Martin will be staying at Aprilia for the 2026 season.
"It's four weeks today that his manager spoke on Spanish TV, he was bold and quite arrogant actually, saying, 'absolutely, we are leaving Aprilia, we're confident we know the contract, we're in the right'.
"Like I say, four weeks [ago] today, we're stood here, we saw the press conference, so I was surprised.
"I was quite impressed with the way [Martin] conducted himself, sat there for half an hour and got grilled by the world's press. Some difficult questions, obviously not speaking in his native language, I thought that was quite good.
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'I had to make a decision' - Martin on future with Aprilia
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I thought he was slightly mismanaged; he was asked if he had apologised to the team. And he hasn't. He knew what sort of questions were coming. If I was his manager, I would have prepped him, you would have practised it."
Hodgson refused to put the blame on Martin and instead pointed the finger at the rider's management, who he believes could have handled the situation better.
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"In all the years I've been involved in racing, I've not seen this situation where a rider is trying to break a contract, and then goes back," he said.
"I'm putting more of the blame, not on to him, but on to his manager and the way he dealt with it.
"It's his responsibility as a manager to control the situation, and I feel like he controlled it pretty poorly."
World champion Martin is back in action this weekend at Grand Prix Czech Republic - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - after returning from an injury.
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Stream every race of the 2025 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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