World championship leader Marco Bezzecchi will have another reason to look over his shoulder at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, after his improving Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin declared on Thursday that he is now at one with the RS-GP25.
Martin has been steadily returning to his best form after a controversial, injury-hit first season with Aprilia in 2025, during which fellow new arrival Bezzecchi stole a march on the reigning champion to become de facto team leader.
After scoring his first podium since 2024 two races ago in Brazil, then notching up a sprint victory last time out in the USA, Martin has been trending upwards as he gells with the bike. Speaking in the press conference ahead of the Jerez showpiece, he likened the feeling now to that of his title-winning year.
“The Aprilia feels like my bike now,” he said. “It’s the same feeling I had in 2024.”
Martin was referring to the oneness with his machine, rather than a bike that handles the same as the Ducati GP24.
“I actually changed a lot of small things in my style to adapt to this bike because it’s a completely different bike. I’m not gonna go deep into it but I think with the changes Aprilia did during the winter… as soon as I tried the bike in Thailand, I saw that it was already a good package. I saw [that] I was feeling good and everything was coming easier.”
Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
While Martin says the feeling he needs is in place, he still moved to downplay expectations that he can go one better this weekend and win the Spanish Grand Prix.
“For sure it’s been a nice start to the season but I feel I’m not ready yet to win a grand prix. Let’s see if I have the chance, for sure I will go for it, but yeah, I’m just happy to be here. One year ago I was watching the MotoGP from Qatar on my phone [while injured in hospital] so to be here already is a victory for me.”
While Martin does not regard himself as fully fit, he was consistent on his way to a close second in the US Grand Prix at the physical COTA track – and that race was the best part of a month ago.
Martin said there was more performance to come, pointing to the MotoGP test on Monday as an opportunity to find it.
“Yeah, I still need more time. I need to try some parts that I still don’t have on my bike… I need time to get to know them… so for sure Monday will be important for me to improve. But yeah, I feel really good with my package and I don’t really want to touch a lot.”
Despite his growing stature and improving results at Aprilia, as well as his potential to threaten Bezzecchi over the course of this year’s championship, Martin is understood to have already signed for Yamaha in 2027.
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