Motorcycling-Aprilia ready for courtroom showdown with MotoGP champ Martin over contract
* HT Image
Aprilia say Martin not free for 2026, ready to go to court
*
Dorna CEO says no rider can switch without agreement
*
Honda waiting for resolution before approaching Martin
June 29 - MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin's bid to escape his Aprilia contract looks set for a date in the courtroom, with the Italian manufacturer's boss Massimo Rivola declaring on Sunday that they are 'relaxed' about dragging the dispute before a judge.
The simmering contract drama boiled over last month when Martin announced his intention to leave Aprilia ahead of the 2026 season, barely a week after the team insisted he honour the two-year agreement he had signed.
The 27-year-old, who has raced in only one round this season due to injuries in a pre-season crash and at the Qatar Grand Prix, said he had exercised his right to release himself for the 2026 season.
His manager Albert Valera had also said Martin is free of his contract for next year having triggered a clause but Rivola said that was not the case.
"I think he's not going to be free for 2026," Rivola told TNT Sports at the Dutch Grand Prix.
"In case we have to go to the court, the judge will take his position but we are quite, I say, relaxed about that."
The dispute has also caught the attention of MotoGP organiser Dorna Sports, who took a firm stance on rider movement.
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said they would not accept any rider entry unless a judge clears them to ride or both parties reach an agreement.
"Now Aprilia says it has a contract in place with Martin while his manager, Valera, says he is free," Ezpeleta told Sky Italia.
"For us to accept that, there is a need either for the two parties to come to an agreement or for a judge to decide the case."
With Ducati out of the picture after they snubbed Martin last year, Honda may be an option but the Japanese outfit's manager Alberto Puig said they will not get involved until Martin reaches an agreement with Aprilia.
"We can wait. Frankly speaking, it's a matter between Aprilia and Jorge," he said.
"It must be clear. If he gets out of the contract, then we will understand. We are not in a super hurry. We will see what is the final resolution there."
Meanwhile, Martin's physical recovery continues with Rivola revealing the Spaniard will run a test in Misano on July 9, targeting a return at the Czech Grand Prix in mid-July.
"Having one race before the break would be good so mentally. Physically, he starts getting a bit of rhythm and then he knows that he has to push... Then to get the result will be a second step," he said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Inzaghi hails 'extraordinary' Al Hilal after City upset
Al Hilal's Italian coach Simone Inzaghi hailed his "extraordinary" team after Monday's stunning 4-3, extra-time win over Premier League giants Manchester City at the Club World Cup. Inzaghi hails 'extraordinary' Al Hilal after City upset "We knew had to do something extraordinary if we were to beat Manchester City and that is what the boys did tonight, the lads were simply wonderful," said Inzaghi after the shock of the tournament in Orlando. "We had to be extraordinary because well, Manchester City, we all know that team. So we had to climb Everest without oxygen to win the game and we made it. "We were great. All the players were exceptional in everything, in the possession phase, non-possession phase," added the former Inter Milan coach whose previous club were defeated by Fluminense just hours before the kick-off at Camping World Stadium. "It is only right in this moment, this evening, to enjoy this achievement up against the Manchester City of Guardiola. The heart that they put in tonight....." he said. Inzaghi had only been in charge of the team for a few days before the opening game where his side drew with Real Madrid and said the credit for the performance belongs with the players. "It is barely three weeks that we are together and you can see the level of application, they really put the effort in. As a coach clearly that is very satisfying. "The lads delivered that performance, they have reached the quarter-finals," he said. City won all three of their group stage games and after a 5-2 win over Juventus in their last game before the knockout stage they were viewed as one of the favourites for the title. City boss Pep Guardiola gave credit to Al Hilal but clearly hadn't seen such an outcome on the horizon. "It is a pity, we have been on an incredible journey together and so good place. The vibe was really good, I cannot thank Manchester City enough and especially the players for training and how they have been playing," he said. "We would have loved to have continued, you can only be here once every four years, we had a feeling that the team is doing well but we go home and now it is time to rest and rest our minds for the new season," he said. The Spaniard praised the way Inzaghi's team had hurt them on the counter-attack. "We were so open. When the crosses arrived, in the first action, they had the ability to pass the ball and attack and they have quick players. We created a lot and had a lot of chances against a team that defend so deep. They punished us on the transitions," he said. sev/rcw This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Wimbledon 2025: Fabulous Fabio Fognini, Champion Carlos Alcaraz to the fore, Electronic 'Out' heats up tennis
Fabio Fognini returns the ball to Carlos Alcaraz during the first round of Wimbledon. (AP) London: It's the last Monday of June and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club throws open the doors to its hallowed courts for the start of the 138th edition of the Wimbledon championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, at 8 am. Action starts at 11am sharp at all the outdoor courts (Centre court with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Fabio Fognini has a later 1.30pm start). Of interest here is that there is no Court 13! Attendance at the end of Day1 topped 40,000 people. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! And what an eventful day it turned out to be. The first championship without line judges saw AI-generated voices calling out the 'out.' It took a few minutes to get used to an unseen human voice calling out the line calls with the right inflection. No more being thrown out of a tournament for accidentally hitting a line judge like Novak Djokovic at the US Open in 2020. No more screaming and swearing at them like vintage John McEnroe. And then, as it should, tennis took centre stage. Seeds fell – Daniil Medvedev (No 9 seed); the flamboyant Stefanos Tsitsipas retired and reigning champion, Carlos Alcaraz, just about survived a thrilling five-setter with Italian Fabio Fognini in temperatures that touched 33 degrees at one point. While everyone loves a good underdog story, nobody, not the spectators, nor the organisers would have wanted the current poster boy of tennis to exit in round 1. Watched by a packed royal box with David Beckham (Sir David after his recent knighthood) and his mum in the front row and actor Eddie Redmayne in the row behind, for Alcaraz it was not the procession most expected it to be. Four-and-half hours later, the match was a testimony to the crowd's forever appreciation of the underdog; how to play your last match at Centre Court and how to summon your champion's nous at just the right time to finally close out a match. Fognini, a contemporary of Federer, Murray and Djokovic, played brilliantly. His ground strokes silken smooth, his anticipation on Alcaraz's serves, early and shot making of the highest order. Sixteen years older than his opponent he looked like he could barely move between the games but between points he was all over the court. Alcaraz, chasing a hat-rick at Wimbledon, seemed uncharacteristically nervous with his game peppered with double faults, poor first serves and plenty of unforced errors. When it was all over some four-and-half hours later, Fognini got a standing ovation he will remember forever and Alcaraz showed why he's a hugely popular athlete. He stood on the court applauding Fognini and kept pointing towards him egging the crowd to acknowledge the brilliant match he had just played. Not that the crowd needed reminding. The packed centre court was dressed for an Indian summer – the unrelenting sun on those in seats facing the umpire meant that a spectator fainted leading the match to be paused for a short while. Flowing calf-length skirts were the dress of choice. While some men were brave enough to turn out in jackets and tie the overpowering heat meant shirt sleeves were the order of the day. As Wimbledon modernises and moves ahead with rapid technological changes some things stay the same. Press is not to applaud good play! One is censured if you are caught cheering or clapping in the press box. On the outside, open courts, there are just two rows of wooden benches on either side of the court. Of these, two are reserved for the players' coaches and family. Which basically means you have to watch these matches mainly standing. Rain, sunshine or heat. And of course, strawberries and cream and Pimm's on the hill.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Dollar struggles near 4-year lows as Trumps tax bill and tariffs weigh
Euro at strongest since September 2021 Dollar weakness shows no sign of stopping Fiscal worries grow on Trump's spending bill as voting nears SINGORE, - The U.S. dollar languished at its weakest against the euro since September 2021 on Tuesday, as President Donald Trump's spending bill stoked fiscal worries while uncertainty around trade deals remained a drag on sentiment. Investors have also started wagering on a quicker pace of monetary policy easing by the Federal Reserve this year ahead of a slew of U.S. economic data this week, headlined by Thursday's nonfarm payrolls report. That spurred dollar-selling, leaving the euro perched at a near four-year high of $1.1808. The single currency surged 13.8% in the January-June period, its strongest-ever first half performance, LSEG data showed. Sterling was steady at $1.3739, not far from the three-and-a-half-year high it touched last week, while the Japanese yen firmed to 143.77 per dollar. The yen has gained 9% in the first half of the year, its strongest performance since 2016. The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six others, slipped to 96.612, its lowest since February 2022. "There are many reasons not to like the USD. Some are structural, like the erratic trade policies and fiscal risks," said Moh Siong Sim, a currency strategist at Bank of Singapore. "They have earlier caused the USD to weaken despite its relative yield advantage. But the risk of a more dovish Federal Reserve eroding USD's yield advantage is the latest source of USD weakness." Investors are grappling with uncertainty over the U.S. Senate's efforts to pass Trump's tax-cut and spending bill, which faces internal party divisions over its projected $3.3 trillion addition to the national debt. The fiscal concerns have dampened sentiment and prompted some investors to diversify. The world's reserve currency is down more than 10%, its biggest first-half dive since the era of free-floating currencies began in the early 1970s. "In 2025, the U.S. exceptionalism narrative has been called into question. Treasury auction demand has been under pressure in recent months, and foreign investor appetite has reduced," said Nathan Hamilton, investment analyst for fixed income at Aberdeen Investments. Meanwhile, Trump has continued hammering the Fed to ease monetary policy, sending Fed Chair Jerome Powell a list of central bank interest rates around the world adorned with handwritten commentary saying the U.S. rate should be between Japan's 0.5% and Denmark's 1.75%. Trump's constant tirade against the Fed and Powell has fuelled investor worries about the central bank's independence and its credibility. Trump cannot fire Powell over a policy dispute, but last week urged him to resign. Investor focus will be on comments from Powell, who joins several other central bank chiefs at the European Central Bank forum in Sintra, Portugal, on Tuesday. Traders are now pricing in 67 basis points of easing from the Fed this year. Goldman Sachs now expects Fed to deliver three quarter-point interest rate cuts this year compared with its earlier forecast of a single reduction in December, citing muted tariff effects and labour market weakness. "The very early evidence suggests that the tariff effects look a bit smaller than we we suspect that the Fed leadership shares our view that tariffs will only have a one-time price level effect," the strategists said in a note. Thursday's nonfarm payrolls is expected to show 110,000 new jobs in June, down from 139,000 in May, according to a Reuters poll of economists. The unemployment rate was expected to have crept higher to 4.3%, from 4.2% last month. With the July 9 deadline for Trump's tariffs fast approaching, investors are also keeping an eye on trade deals between the U.S. and its partners although there have not been many agreements so far. Trump expressed frustration with U.S.-Japan trade negotiations as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that countries could be notified of sharply higher tariffs despite good-faith negotiations. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
