Impulsive Jorge Martin: do you now regret leaving Aprilia?

Jorge Martin arrives in Texas galvanized by the two podiums secured in Thailand and Brazil. The 2024 MotoGP champion knows he has an Aprilia in splendid form with which he can continue his climb toward the top of the standings, but he will have to contend with a physical condition that isn’t particularly brilliant. "I’m a bit worried about how my body will react. When I don’t have much time to rest, I don’t recover well."

'Martinator' will tackle the American weekend with mixed feelings. Confidence in the RS-GP, which is proving to be the bike of the moment on the MotoGP grid. Doubts about his health, as he’s sore after the grueling Brazilian Grand Prix. COTA is a very demanding track and will require maximum effort, both physically and technically.

"I feel a bit of pain after the race in Goiania and I think Austin is the most demanding race of the World Championship," said the Aprilia rider on the eve of the first day on track. "We’ll see how to manage the pain, but I have to conserve some energy. Now it’s about finishing and bringing the bike home."

Since winter testing, Jorge Martin seems to have found a magical understanding with the Aprilia. Credit goes to several factors, starting with a rediscovered physical form after a really complicated 2025. "Aerodynamics has been fundamental for me. I’ve also changed my braking and acceleration style. Even the riding position has changed, which is why I feel better on the Aprilia."

The Madrid-born rider has already reached an agreement with Yamaha for the next two years; in his place will come Pecco Bagnaia. If the results continue along these lines, Jorge might one day regret leaving the Noale factory... "I’ve always thought Aprilia was the only bike that could challenge Ducati. It seems I was right."

This MotoGP weekend, all eyes will be on Marc Marquez, who has triumphed here seven times, even if he hasn’t won since 2021. "It’s very hard to beat Marc here; it’s his circuit. It’s not just our goal to beat Marc. At least mine is to try to get the most out of this race to gain points. We’ll see on Sunday where we end up; we’ll continue as we have so far, without changing the procedure."