Jorge Martin to race #1 plate at Aprilia? “What do you think!”
“Today we are the number one..."
During his MotoGP title celebrations at Barcelona on Sunday, Jorge Martin enthusiastically slapped a gold #1 freshly placed on the front number plate of his Pramac Ducati.
But when speaking afterwards, Martin dodged a direct answer about whether he will indeed run the #1 plate - rather than his usual #89 - as a factory Aprilia rider next season.
“What do you think?” he smiled. “I think now it's time to celebrate the moment. I don't want to think about next year.
“Today we are the number one and we will try to win the championship party today also! I want to enjoy the moment.
“We have time to think about this [#1] and let's see.”
Martin will make his Aprilia MotoGP debut during Tuesday's post-race test in Barcelona.
Most believe Martin will indeed take on the #1, worn by Francesco Bagnaia at the factory Ducati team for the last two seasons, not least for the prestige and marketing value it will bring to Aprilia.
But since the start of the MotoGP era in 2002, world champions have been divided over running the number 1 plate.
Valentino Rossi (46), Marc Marquez (93), Joan Mir (36) and Fabio Quartararo (20) kept their usual numbers during a MotoGP title defence, while Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner and Bagnaia switched to #1.
Jorge Lorenzo did both, running the #1 after his first MotoGP title in 2011 but then sticking with his #99 in 2013 and 2016.
Bagnaia’s successful 2023 title defence was the first by a rider with the #1 plate since Mick Doohan in 1998.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
