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Won the 500cc title with the Honda Europe-managed Nastro Azzurro team in the year 2001 and Eddie Lawson claimed first place in 1989 on a Honda entered by the private Rothmans team.
With their championship goal now in sight, Martin’s next major objective is earning his maiden triumph with Aprilia, a feat that will be notably tough in an era characterised by Ducati’s dominance.
The possibility remains and is set by the precedent of a defending world champion winning his first race with a different manufacturer, achieved by Rossi in 2004.
After four seasons with Honda from 2000 to 2003, during which he won three titles and 33 grand prix, Rossi chose to demonstrate to the Japanese manufacturer that he was making the significant difference, and not the bike, by joining Yamaha during a particularly challenging period for the team in the top flight.
Unexpectedly, on his debut with the Iwata-based brand, Rossi won the now-legendary South African Grand Prix at Welkom on 18 April 2004, having joined the team as the defending champion. The result set the tone for the rest of the year, and Rossi ultimately secured his fourth top-tier title.
Valentino Rossi
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Martin, much like Rossi, joins a new manufacturer after winning the 2024 title with Ducati.
The 2025 season is set to open with the Thailand Grand Prix at the Chang International Circuit, a course where he clinched a double victory in 2023. He also secured second place in both races at Buriram last year, demonstrating his consistency on this particular track, particularly when competing with a Desmosedici.
To team up with its protégé Bagnaia. But given Aprilia was the only manufacturer other than Ducati to score a race win in 2024, then Martin therefore has to be the favourite to stage a major upset to the GP25 riders this year.
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Only Rossi has successfully transitioned to a new factory team and secured his first win with the new team, holding the title of champion. Nevertheless, several top caliber riders, including the revered MotoGP legend Casey Stoner, have also made the switch to a new manufacturer or team and achieved victory in their first race with their new partner.
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Stand: race winner Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda Team, second place Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha Factory Racing, third place Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The Italian made a strong comeback at the TT Circuit Assen after a poor qualifying lap, overtaking Dovizioso on lap five and Pedrosa on lap seven.
In that year, the Australian won the MotoGP championship for the second time, before announcing his decision to retire at the end of the 2012 season.
Vinales won his first race with the new manufacturer, becoming a winner in his first competition with a new brand.
The Tech3 KTM rider made his first major appearance in the top class with Suzuki in 2015, after racing with the Hamamatsu company for two years. In 2017, he was signed by Yamaha. On his maiden ride with the M1, the Spanish rider obtained a first place finish at the Qatar GP, beating Dovizioso’s Ducati and his Yamaha teammate Rossi.
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Honda’s MotoGP team believes they require a half-second improvement this winter in order to compete effectively, according to Luca Marini.
‘Really four contenders this time of year this year almost always been three, and I think we had four contenders last year with maybe a little bit less consistency and less reliability’ director of Chassis, Emanuele Pelluzzi, explains.
‘Mission accomplished if next season we could have this four, five riders in the first line every time’.
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