MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin offers race number clue for title defence
Incoming Aprilia rider hints at race number for 2025
New MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin has offered a clue as to what number he’ll race with in 2025 when joins Aprilia for his title defence.
The Spaniard locked horns with factory Ducati counterpart Francesco Bagnaia across the 20-round 2024 season, with the battle between the pair going to the wire.
Martin, despite only winning three grands prix to Bagnaia’s 11, came out on top in the Barcelona finale to win the championship by 10 points.
It made Martin a double grand prix world champion following his 2018 Moto3 title, and made him the first independent team rider in the modern era to become premier class champion.
Martin was due to step up to the factory Ducati team in 2025 alongside Bagnaia, before the brand made a U-turn on its decision in favour of Marc Marquez instead.
Subsequently, Martin signed a multi-year deal with Aprilia to join its factory squad for the 2025 campaign.
Since winning the championship in Barcelona, Martin has been repeatedly asked about what number he will use when he races the RS-GP.
Speaking after the season finale, he said of the matter: “What do you think?
“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 don’t want to think about next year.
“We have to time to think about this and let’s see.”
At the post-season test in Barcelona, Martin continued to run his traditional number 89.
But at the recent TT-Christmas at Rocco’s Ranch, Martin took part in the motocross event carrying the number one.
Aprilia will launch its 2025 season with Martin and Marco Bezzecchi on 16 January, where the former will likely reveal whether or not he will use the number one plate.
If he does, he’ll carry on from Bagnaia, who has run number one since winning his first title in 2022.
Prior to him, Joan Mir ran number one after his 2020 title, while Casey Stoner in 2012 did the same.
The event at Rocco’s Ranch, near the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, featured a number of top grand prix names like Aleix Espargaro and Fermin Aldeguer, and raised €20,000 for Aspar’s Valencia flood relief fund.
