Jorge Martin puts Red Bull partnership on hold as Monster joins Aprilia

Jorge Martin has put his personal sponsorship deal with Red Bull on hold, with rival energy drink brand Monster set to join his Aprilia team as title partner.

The Noale-based squad is expected to announce a major sponsorship deal with America’s Monster Energy on Thursday, confirming a story first reported by Motorsport last week.

While the details of the agreement are yet to be finalised, the partnership is expected to extend beyond the current season, at least through the end of 2028.

Negotiations between the two parties had been ongoing for some time, with an eye toward 2027, but Aprilia’s early results this year led to the agreement being brought forward.

The relationship will formally begin this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, where the two factory RS-GPs will feature Monster’s famous claw logo.

For Monster, one of Aprilia’s most attractive points is the presence of Marco Bezzecchi, who has been associated with the American brand for years. His results have made him one of the beverage manufacturer’s main draws, and the company is also rubbing its hands in anticipation of Francesco Bagnaia‘s arrival in 2027. 

Bagnaia is also a Monster rider and, like Bezzecchi, a prominent member of the VR46 Riders Academy, which is also sponsored by the company.

Martin no longer wears Red Bull cap

The only one who won’t personally benefit from Monster’s arrival at Aprilia is Martin. The 2024 world champion and current second-place rider in the overall standings is a Red Bull athlete; the Austrian beverage brand has sponsored him since he became Rookies Cup champion in 2014, more than 10 years ago.

Martin has decided to temporarily pause his relationship with Red Bull, so he will no longer sport the Red Bull logo on his helmet or cap, as he has been doing until now.

This Wednesday, at an event hosted by the manufacturer, the Spanish rider was already seen wearing a cap without the Red Bull logo, replaced by Aprilia branding, while Bezzecchi sported his usual cap featuring the Monster claw.

Although Martin will not feature the Monster logo on his personal gear (helmet and cap), he will be required to display its logo on his racing suit and motorcycle, as the advertising space on those items belongs to the Noale-based manufacturer.

Martín understands that the arrival of a title sponsor is a major financial benefit for the team and the Italian manufacturer, and that this could have a positive impact on the competitive side. But for now, he has no plans to enter negotiations with Monster regarding a potential sponsor change.

The move is very similar to the one made by Marc Marquez, one of the most recognisable Red Bull athletes in motorsports, when he joined the official Ducati Team last year. The Spaniard put his relationship with the Austrian company on hold, and in the two years he has spent in the Bologna-based manufacturer’s garage, he has remained steadfast in his loyalty to Red Bull, even though Monster is one of Ducati’s main sponsors and has a contract signed through the end of 2027.

Martin has no plans to seek a way out in the short term, as the rider understands that it is precisely at this moment that he must demonstrate his respect and loyalty to a sponsor that has been with him since childhood, even though pausing the relationship until the end of the season will mean a significant financial loss for the rider.

It so happens that Martin has signed a two-year contract with Yamaha Factory Racing for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, and that Monster is, at this moment, the main sponsor of the Iwata-based team. However, the agreement expires at the end of this year, and as of now, it is unclear whether Monster will continue with Yamaha, potentially allowing Martin to return to wearing his Red Bull cap and helmet.

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– The Motorsport.com Team

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