The breakdown between David Alonso and Dani Holgado has reached the point where the Aspar Moto2 riders do not even share space during the team’s travel. Aspar boss Jorge Martinez said they have occupied separate areas inside the team truck throughout the season, while their accommodation has also been kept apart.

The dispute became public after their collision at the Indonesian Grand Prix. Alonso called Holgado “not a nice person” and said the atmosphere at Aspar was poor, going as far as describing it as “not even a team”. Martinez called those remarks out of place, but his account makes clear that the problem between the riders is not a passing disagreement.

A dispute built over time

Martinez described a conflict that grew through repeated disagreements rather than one isolated incident. Different issues, along with a string of smaller tensions, had accumulated over a long period and eventually produced the latest rupture. He stressed that the team itself has an excellent relationship; the challenge is managing the relationship between its two riders.

Martinez has not yet spoken with both riders, although he says he intends to reprimand them. He does not believe he should force them to shake hands or become friends. His practical aim is to improve the way they work together on track and protect the closing phase of the season, with four or five races still to run.

Separate MotoGP paths

The situation matters beyond the current Aspar partnership because the riders are expected to move into MotoGP with different teams. Alonso is expected to race for LCR Honda in 2027, while Holgado is expected to join Gresini Ducati. Martinez regards clashes as a familiar consequence of putting two strong, winning riders in the same garage. Until their competitive paths separate, however, Aspar must keep the relationship workable where it matters most: on the circuit.