After the fiasco of the MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix, where Jorge Martin crashed six times and came away with zero points, the visit to Mugello last weekend represented the other side of the coin for the Aprilia rider. Martin recovered from the setback and his physical injuries to score 29 points in Barcelona, with second places on both Saturday and Sunday.
With four victories in the first seven rounds of the championship, it is evident that, right now, the strongest man on the MotoGP grid is Martin’s team-mate Marco Bezzecchi. The Italian became a steamroller at Mugello to cross the finish line 3.5 seconds ahead of Martin and led Aprilia to its first 1-2 finish in Italy.
However, that very fact is precisely what leads one to think that Martin is facing the same situation as in 2024, when he achieved his first MotoGP world title. With only one victory and one zero already on his record, the rider from Madrid is only 17 points behind his team-mate, a gap that, with 37 points on offer at every grand prix, is nothing.
Back in 2024, after the first seven races of the year, Francesco Bagnaia had accumulated four victories and Martin had just two – but led the overall standings by 18 points over the Italian. Pecco himself said it in Le Mans, after Martin’s first win this year: “He is deploying the same strategy as in 2024, going from less to more; of course he is a clear title favourite.”
Despite the differences or similarities between his previous battle with Bagnaia and the current one Martin faces with Bezzecchi, the Spaniard isn’t so quick to draw any conclusions from his historic form.
Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, Jorge Martín, Aprilia Racing Team
Foto de: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images
“It is different because Marco is another person, another rider, but in the end the situation is very similar,” he said.
“Back then, I had a factory bike just like Pecco, but I was in a different team. Now, with Marco, we are in the same house, we see each other in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the end, it is a bit strange.
“But we have a good relationship, which is important; I had [a good] one with Pecco as well, and although we are rivals on track and opponents, the important thing is that we help each other to beat the rest and then we will fight among ourselves, for whatever we have to fight for.”
The title fight can wait
On Sunday, after the emotions of a race that was complicated for Martin and after experiencing a podium in front of thousands of Italian fans devoted to Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, Martin did not want to put himself forward for the 2026 championship in any way.
“I am always going to fight for the title, I am always going to fight to be champion, as long as there is a mathematical possibility,” he explained. “But thinking about that, about the title, right now contributes absolutely nothing to me. What contributes to me is working every day at home, getting up early every morning and training for seven straight hours, and that is what will lead me, at the end of the year, to fight for the title, or not. We will see.”
Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, Jorge Martín, Aprilia Racing Team
Foto de: Andreas Solaro / AFP via Getty Images
Whether he thinks about the title or not, what is clear is that the Aprilia is ready to fight for it.
“Honestly, I think the bike is already going to allow us to be competitive at every circuit,” he added. “At some we will suffer more and at others less, but the bike works, the team works, and the method does too. It is a sum of factors that allows us to achieve these results.
“But in this sport you cannot fall asleep because the moment you lose focus, the rest will eat you alive; the rivals and the other manufacturers are very strong.”
Happy for Bezzecchi
Despite the fact that, on paper, they are currently the two main rivals in the fight for the title, Martin said that he experienced the Mugello podium with emotion.
Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, en el podio de Mugello celebrando con los fans italiano
Foto de: MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group
“I’m happy for Marco; the podium was impressive. Just being there, seeing it, and the emotion of the moment, even hearing the [Italian] anthem, was very beautiful. Surely for Marco it will have been something unforgettable,” he said.
“Even though I lost the race, it has nothing to do with being able to be happy for my team-mate, who gave everything just as I did. I’m glad he enjoyed it. I think I have never had a -mate who has pushed me as hard as Marco, and that makes me improve a lot.
“Of course I would have liked to win on Sunday; anything that means taking points away from Marco will be positive for us, but at one of his best tracks and in front of his fans, being able to finish second is a very good result. We must continue along these lines.”
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