Jorge Martin warns Marc Marquez: "I'm here to win"

Jorge Martin left Motegi with mixed feelings. The Aprilia rider preserves the lead in the MotoGP standings after finishing second in the Japanese Grand Prix. But his direct rival in the title race, Marc Marquez, is going through one of his best spells this season.

The Japanese weekend began with Jorge Martin on pole position. An excellent sign for the ‘Martinator’, who was, however, denied victory by Marc in the MotoGP Sprint. In Sunday’s showdown, the Aprilia standard-bearer tried everything to fend off the Ducati rider’s attacks and managed to do so for half the race. Jorge led the first ten laps with Marquez glued to his rear wheel, controlling the pace and trying to keep the #93 at bay. However, at the decisive moment, the eight-time world champion found a way to attack and take the lead.

From that point on, the Madrid-born rider tried to respond. He even set the fastest lap of the race in an attempt to close the gap, but the effort wasn’t enough to put his rival back under pressure. After 24 laps, he crossed the finish line in second place, just over a second behind the winner. "I’m very happy, even if it wasn’t the result I wanted. I’m happy because we managed to build a great feeling throughout the weekend and thanks to that I was able to have a great race."

In the post-race press conference, the ‘Martinator’ acknowledged that Marquez was unbeatable, especially after passing him at Turn 9 on lap eleven. The Aprilia rider insists that his goal remains to fight for the MotoGP World Championship, to keep believing in himself, and to find a way to snatch wins from a rival he considers one of the best in history. Beyond second place, the podium carries special meaning for Jorge.

A year ago, he left Japan with a broken collarbone during the Sprint race. This Sunday, however, he returned to the podium with his Aprilia, maintaining the advantage in an increasingly thrilling championship. "I’m happy with this second place and also with the fact that we have a bike that allows me to fight for the title until the end of the season."

With six Grands Prix still to go, anything can still happen. The Aprilia rider believes Motegi confirmed one of the RS-GP’s strengths: "We’re particularly strong in the fast, flowing sections. We struggled a bit more in the slow corners, but I think we can beat Marc in the upcoming races as well."

Only two points separate the two in the overall standings, leaving the title fight completely open ahead of the race in Indonesia. It will be a war not just of speed, but also of nerves, focus, and the ability to handle pressure. And all this against one of the strongest riders in MotoGP history. "It’s clear I won’t give up; I’m here to fight for the win. It annoys me not to win. I’m here to win and, in the end, it hurts to finish second again. But I think it’s about taking the hits well until the day I win."

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