Jorge Martin pays tribute to Marc Marquez: “Just competing against him would be good enough”

For Jorge Martin, Aragon is both a home race and a debut: having been sidelined for months in 2025 due to a string of injuries, the 2024 world champion will be riding the Aprilia for the first time at MotorLand. After securing pole position, a sprint victory and second place in the Grand Prix at Silverstone, he leads the World Championship with 240 points. At the press conference on Thursday afternoon, a journalist asked whether Silverstone had been the turning point of his season. “Yes, definitely,” replied Martin. “I can’t wait to get started this weekend and confirm our pace.”

The 28-year-old is not one for euphoria. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, because the last few races have been a bit of a rollercoaster,” analysed the Aprilia rider. “It’s important to prove once again that we’re competitive and that what we did at Silverstone will help us here too.” His conclusion is a confident one: “The package is good and I like the track.”

The fact that Marc Marquez is the favourite at Aragon doesn’t bother Martin. ‘MM93’ has won there seven times in the premier class and has been unbeaten on this track since his move from Honda to Ducati in 2024. “Aprilia are doing a great job; the bike is getting better with every race. We’ll see in practice what the standard is like. Just being in the mix with Marc would be good enough.”

What’s the secret to beating Marc Marquez?

When asked about a specific plan to stop the record-breaking Aragon winner, Martin sidestepped the question: “Marc is strong here; we all know that. For me, it’s about focusing on what I can control. I can’t control whether he’s fast or not. I can control what I do and how I work. I’ll try to find the fastest possible pace. If I have a chance of winning, I’ll take it – and if not, I’ll make the most of it.”

The top of the standings has been shaken up by Ai Ogura’s withdrawal: the World Championship bronze medallist sustained a thumb injury in practice, underwent surgery and will miss the Aragon round. “I hope he’s doing well after the operation and that he’ll be back soon,” said the championship leader, sending his best wishes for a speedy recovery to the Trackhouse rider. “We always want to have all the riders out on the track.”

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09.10.2026 - 02:55