Martin’s big challenge: emulating Rossi’s 2004 win in Aprilia debut

In 2024, george martin Becomes the first rider in the MotoGP era to win the title with a satellite team by defeating a same-spec factory Ducati francesco bagniya,

This was a feat not seen in the premier class since valentino rossi won the 500 cc title with the Honda Europe-managed Nastro Azzurro team in 2001 and Eddie Lawson claimed top honors on a Honda, recorded by the privateer Rothmans team in 1989.

With the goal of winning the championship now achieved, the next big challenge facing Martin is to win his first race with Aprilia, something that will be especially difficult in an era dominated by Ducati.

However, the possibility exists, and the precedent for a reigning world champion winning his first race with a different manufacturer was set by Rossi in 2004.

After four seasons with Honda between 2000–2003, during which he won three titles and 33 Grands Prix, Rossi decided to prove to the Japanese manufacturer that he was not the bike, but the bike, by signing for Yamaha during its worst period. Bringing change. Major class.

Unexpectedly, on his debut with the Iwata-based brand, Rossi won the now-legendary South African GP at Welkom on 18 April 2004, arriving at the team as a defending champion. The result set the tone for the rest of the year and Rossi won his fourth premier class title.

Martin, like Rossi, moved to a new manufacturer after winning the 2024 title with Ducati.

The 2025 season will begin with the Thailand Grand Prix at the Chang International Circuit, a track where he scored a double win in 2023. He finished second in both races at Buriram last year, underlining how consistently fast he is at that track – at least on the Desmosedici.

However, winning races with Aprilia will not be easy as Ducati appears to be the ‘dream team’ on paper, having signed a contract with the six-time champion. mark marquez To enter into partnership with his disciple Francesco Bagnaia. But given that Aprilia was the only manufacturer other than Ducati to win the race in 2024, Martin will have to be the favorite to pull off a major upset of the GP25 runners this year.

Stoner is an expert at winning his first race.

Only Rossi is able to arrive at a new factory as the reigning champion and win his first race with his new employer. However, the full list of riders who switched manufacturers – or even teams – and won their first race with them includes many iconic names, including MotoGP legend Casey Stoner.

The Australian made his debut in the premier class with LCR Honda in 2006 and moved into the official Ducati Team Next year. On his debut with the Italian brand at the 2007 Qatar GP, Stoner surprised everyone by taking a convincing win, finishing three seconds ahead of Rossi’s Yamaha and nine seconds ahead of the Honda rider. dani pedrosa,

But Stoner didn’t stop there. After four seasons at Ducati, the Australian decided to change brands again in 2011, joining the official Honda structure on a third bike and partnering with Pedrosa. Andrea Dovizioso,

In his first appearance with the RC213V, again at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit, Stoner took victory ahead of Yamaha george lorenzo And his new team-mates Pedrosa and Dovizioso both finished more than five seconds behind.

The Australian was crowned MotoGP champion for the second time that year, before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2012 season.

Another rider to win his first race after switching manufacturers was Maverick Vinales.

The now Tech3 KTM rider made his debut in the top class with Suzuki in 2015 and, after two years with the Hamamatsu outfit, he was recruited by Yamaha for 2017. On his first visit on the M1, the Spaniard won at the Qatar GP. ahead of Ducati’s Dovizioso and team-mate Rossi.