Warring MotoGP rookies had to be split up in 2026, Moto2 boss reveals

Aspar Moto2 boss Jorge Martinez has revealed David Alonso and Dani Holgado’s relationship has been so bad that they were split up in the team trucks.

Future LCR Honda MotoGP rider Alonso slammed Holgado, who will race for Gresini Ducati, as “not a nice person” following a collision at the Indonesian Grand Prix.

Alonso also claimed the atmosphere inside the Aspar squad was not good and even branded it as “not even a team”.

Veteran racer and team boss Jorge Martinez has now responded to these comments, calling them “out of place”.

“There have been many disagreements”

Alonso and Holgado have always been fierce rivals through the racing ranks, though it’s not clear what has gone on behind the scenes specifically to have caused such a fallout.

Speaking with DAZN, Martinez revealed that both have separate spaces inside the team truck, and have done so all season because of how bad their relationship is.

“The problem is that there have been many disagreements, about many things, for a long time,” he told the Spanish broadcaster.

“This year we even separated them in the trucks, so they wouldn't be together.

“They even had separate rooms. A lot of small details that I think have added up, and perhaps that's led to this final falling out.

“We're going to manage it in the best way possible; the team has an excellent relationship, and we have to know how to manage the relationship between the two of them.”

Martinez says he is yet to speak with both riders but is going to “give each of them a slap on the wrist, because they obviously deserve it”.

However, he is under no illusions of being able to repair their relationship.

“I don't think I should force them to shake hands or get along now.

“This has been going on for a while; it's not new.

“Eventually, things reach a breaking point.

“Like I said, we have to see how we can salvage the situation. They aren't friends; I can't force them to be, but I can try to make things better on the track.”

The price of having two strong riders

Alonso’s comments did not go down well with the Spanish media, who also felt they were out of order, not least for a rider stepping up to MotoGP in 2027 with Honda.

But Martinez also conceded that this situation can happen when you have two strong riders together in a team.

“When you have two good, winning riders, this has always happened.

“When I was racing, it happened to me, with Alex Criville, with Champi Herreros, with many team-mates.

“When there are two top riders, these clashes always occur.

“But the team is excellent; there are no problems within the team, and obviously I have to keep things in order with both of them.

“There are four or five races left, I hope everything ends up as well as possible.”