The real Jorge Martin is about to return: "Here's when I'll be able to challenge Bezzecchi"

2025 forgotten, 2026 has started in an encouraging way for Martin: in Buriram a good first race weekend and a strong desire to keep growing.

Aprilia being the MotoGP benchmark on the Thai grid was something hard to imagine a year ago. One person who certainly didn’t believe it was Jorge Martin, who during 2025 had tried to jump to Honda before being forced to honor the contract that expires at the end of 2026. With tensions overcome, he focused on fully recovering physically from the injuries that had plagued him, and the first Grand Prix of the new year is certainly positive for the Spaniard, fifth both in the sprint and in the long race.

He certainly would have preferred not to be beaten by the Trackhouse satellite team riders, who finished ahead of him in both races of the weekend, but his is an encouraging start to 2026 for the future. If he hadn’t been forced to skip the first test of the year in Sepang, he might have been even more competitive, having gained more experience on the RS-GP26. It’s also worth noting that physically he’s not yet at 100%.

The two-time world champion was all smiles at the end of the Thai Grand Prix; he knows what he’s been through and how much effort he’s put in to get back to a high level: "I’m sorry to say it - he told Motosan - but two months ago I couldn’t even wipe my own ass and I’ve scored another top-five finish. So, I’m very satisfied. I didn’t have big expectations. I just wanted to focus on a good start and good race management. I felt good from the beginning, I was able to fight head-to-head again with Marc and Pedro. In the last laps I was quite far back, but I was aiming to catch Raúl, although then I had some spin issues. But I’m happy. I did my job, I finished, which was my goal. Physically I felt quite good and I’ll improve more for the next race."

Martin arrived in Buriram aware of how competitive the Aprilia RS-GP26 is, so he knew there was a chance to achieve excellent results: "The podium was what I expected this weekend. Obviously, when I have the chance, I’ll go for it: today wasn’t the right day. After two days on the bike and then the race, to already be in these positions... Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever started the year like this. I had the feeling of 2024, of being able to fight, to start well, to have control of what was happening, and from here on I’ll keep improving." 2024 is the year of his MotoGP title; having similar feelings to back then means he’s really clicked with the bike and is physically close to the top.

The Spanish rider is very clear about the path he and his team must take to be able to fight for wins with Aprilia: "Keep building. I still don’t feel the bike is mine. I made a big step forward in the race, but I’m still finding my base. On Friday I started with Bezzecchi’s bike. Little by little I’m making trial and error, going back and forth with the setup. It’s about building my base: once I have it, that’s when it’ll be time to attack."

Martin is very eager to battle with Bezzecchi: "The year is very long. I think that when I have everything under control I’ll be able to compete head-to-head with Marco. But right now it’s clear he’s on another level. He’s the one who can win, but he’s also the one who can make mistakes, so I just have to be patient. There’s a lot of competition, the rivals are very strong, and it will be difficult to get there, but I’ll try." A two-time world champion can only have the ambition to aim high; he should not be underestimated.

The article with the original interview in Spanish on Motosan.es.