MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin admits he “will never be able to be the Captain” of Aprilia like Aleix Espargaro was but “can accept the responsibility” of lead🅺ing the team.

Espargaro spent the final eight years of his MotoGP career with April𝔍ia,𒐪 helping to turn it from mid-pack runners to race winners in that span.

He announced ౠhis retirement from racing during the Catalan Grand Prix and w𒁏ill act as Honda’s test rider next year.

Just over a week on from announcing his retirement, Martin signed a multi-year deal with the factory Aprilia squad after Ducati elected to go against its original ౠdecision to promote him🅘 to its works team for 2025.

In his time at Aprilia, Espargaro became known as ‘the Capt🥃ain’ for his lea❀dership.

Martin thin🙈ks scaling the same heights himself will be difficult.

“I think I w൲ill never be able to be the ‘Captain’ like Aleix was, because we was there for nine years, he brought Aprilia from nothing to win races and fight for the world championship,” he told AS.

“I can accept that responsibility, though. I feel the responsibility to be the leader of this project and I will do what I hav🤪e to, o💯r what is in my power, to succeed in taking this bike to the highest level.”

Marti▨n also believes that Espargaro would have stayed at Aprilia for at least one more year had he decided earlieꦫr that he would be joining the Italian marque.

“If I had decided before [I did] 🎶to arrive in this br🔯and, Aleix would surely have renewed for at least another year,” he added.

“But life is made up of situations and moments.”

Espargaro and Martin have an incredibly close relationsh🐬ip, with the former referring to the reigning world champion as his son on num🍬erous occasions.

As well as his Honda test rider duties, Espargaro has 🦩also signed a deal to become an ambassador for💞 the Lidl-Trek cycling team next year.