The Dutch Grand Prix at Assen in MotoGP was an exciting race weekend, but what happened off the track was just as important. While fans saw great performance on the track, the biggest story was about to be public between rider Jorge Martin and Aprilia.

From the racing point of view, Marc Marquez once again showed why he’s one of the best riders. He won the sprint race and the main race, proving that only he can stop himself from winning. During the weekend in Moto2, Diogo Moreira made history by becoming the first Brazilian to win a race in Moto2. All of those achievements were important, but the real drama was happening behind a closed door, away from the sound of engines.

In the team paddock and motorhomes, discussions and conflicts were heating up. The center of attention was Jorge Martin, the reigning champion and his complicated situation with Aprilia. The issue is about how to interpret a part of his contract he had signed over a year ago. Martin and his team believe that a certain clause in the contract allows him to leave Aprilia and sign with another team for 2026. But Aprilia disagrees and says the contract is still valid. This disagreement has grown more serious over the past few months, and it has now reached a point where lawyers are involved. The situation is being fought in two ways: one is public, with interviews and statements to the media; the other is more private, involving legal teams and confidentiality agreements.

At Assen, Martin’s manager, Albert Valera, took the first public step. He spoke to several media outlets and said clearly that Martin is free to sign with any team for the 2026 season. According to Valera, the special clause in the contract has been activated and this gives Martin the freedom to negotiate with other teams. He also mentioned that Honda is one of the teams they are seriously considering. The way he decided to speak was no accident, because it was part of a bigger plan to send a message, especially to Honda. Valera’s goal was to encourage Honda to make a formal offer to Martin.

But the situation changed very quickly. Because within just one day, Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of Dorna, stepped in. Like Valera, he spoke to the media, but this time to stop the rumor from going further. Ezpeleta said that MotoGP, along with the manufacturers and teams’ associations, will not allow any rider to change teams unless both parties agree or a judge says the rider is free. Aprilia says that Martin still has a valid contract, and Martin’s side says he doesn’t. Until this is legally settled, MotoGP will not approve any transfer. Ezpeleta’s decision was likely influenced by Liberty Media, which recently bought Dorna and wants to keep the championship stable and professional.

So Aprilia took Ezpeleta’s statement as support for their side. Even Aprilia CEO, Massimo Rivola, said they had tried to stay neutral, but Ezpeleta’s words made their position clear. According to Rivola, nobody can sign with another team while still being under contract. For the first time, though, Rivola admitted that Martin might leave Aprilia. He said their first choice is to keep Martin, but if that’s not possible, they are ready to either make an agreement or go to court.

Meanwhile, Honda’s team manager, Alberto Puig, also spoke out. He said Honda only talks directly to riders, not to other teams. So if Martin says he is free to sign for 2026, Honda will take him at his word. Puig made it clear that they don’t want to get involved in a legal fight, but if Martin is free, they are interested.

Right now, the key issue is timing. Because Aprilia has the stronger position since they hold the contract. The longer the situation lasts, the harder it becomes for Martin. It is unlikely he will race for Aprilia next year, since being forced to ride for a team you want to leave can hurt both the rider and the team. Still, this doesn’t mean Aprilia is in a bad position. They control how fast or slow the case moves forward.

Martin wants things to be solved quickly. But legal battles, especially in Italy, where Aprilia’s parent company has strong ties, can take a long time. So even if Martin wins in a court, it might be too late to help his career. Because of this, both sides may try to reach a financial agreement instead. That would mean Martin would pay to Aprilia to let him go or another team pays the fee. And according to some rumours, the negotiations have already started. So while this is happening, Aprilia is already looking for a new rider just in case they need to replace Martin.

Yet that is not Martin’s only problem, as his other problem is his health. He is still recovering from injuries from Qatar, where during a race he fell and was accidentally hit by another rider. Martin spent several days in the hospital in Doha before he returned to Europe to recover. He injured his ribs and scaphoid, a bone in his hand. While he has made a lot of progress, the healing is not complete.

Doctors recently said that Martin can do a test ride later this week, possibly at the Misano circuit. However, he will not be allowed to race at the German Grand Prix. But there is a possibility that he could return to racing at the Czech Grand Prix. The test was made possible because of a new MotoGP rule that allows injured riders to do a one-day test to check if they are fit to come back. Aprilia actually pushed for this rule earlier this year, and after some resistance from other teams, it was officially added before the French Grand Prix.

Martin’s health and his contract issue are both big parts of the same problem. He wants to return to racing and also move forward with his career, possibly with Honda. But until the legal situation is clear, everything is uncertain. Aprilia knows this and is using the time to their advantage. Martin wants fast answers, but the resolution may take much longer than he hopes.