Let's talk MotoGP: A huge challenge awaits Jorge Martin

Today, I wanted to take a look back at Jorge Martin's return to MotoGP, several months after his last appearance in Qatar. Frankly, he did well on the track, no doubt about that, but what awaits him will not be easy.

 

On legs

 

The "Martinator", armed with its number 1, made its grand return to competition. Before we move on to the less pleasant subject, let's first look at what the track had to say. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by his form. Fifth in Practice, he qualified directly for Q2, less than two tenths behind his teammate. Marco Bezzecchi, who is starting to master the Aprilia RS-GP perfectlyIn Q2, it was more difficult, with a somewhat surprising 12th place, but we must not forget the dynamics of this session where a good number of laps were cancelled.

 

 

He finished the sprint in 11th place, which isn't particularly impressive, but still very solid after such a recovery period. And, finally, on Sunday, he finished seventh, completion of a build-up over the weekend. Certainly, a few crashes were noticed ahead of him and he was dropped by the top six riders. But still, he had to go to the end intelligently and he did it. We can congratulate him, because on a very technical track, which, moreover, had a lot of grip – which is more tiring – he did the job.

 

What to expect from Jorge Martin at the end of the MotoGP season?

 

It's always difficult when a rider comes back to the middle of nowhere in a season. Jorge is expected to compete in the second half of the year, and I think he has to remain extremely vigilant while trying to improve. No one has said it yet, but I believe it is a challenge just as big as the one he faced during his convalescence.. Why? Let me explain.

First of all, Martin is not playing for anything, and mentally, it's difficult. We must not forget that he is the world champion. MotoGP 2024. So, we imagine that fighting for top 10 finishes doesn't interest him much, doesn't motivate him. However, he'll have to get used to it, because there's a good chance that the podium will be more or less unattainable until the end. When we look at the hierarchy, there's Marc Marquez, far ahead of the others, but also Pecco Bagnaia, capable of waking up, a solid Alex Marquez when he doesn't make mistakes, but also Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Quartararo. The "Martinator" could also adopt a more incisive attitude; after all, he can't claim anything in the general classification. But that would be a big mistake.

 

 

This is my second point. I think his body is preventing him from saying to himself: "nothing to lose". Casually, these injuries accumulated since the winter tests were not the first he has experienced in his career; remember this box during his rookie year, in 2021. The Spaniard must be very careful not to aggravate his case. In Brno, he was still in better shape than in Qatar, agreed, but I still think he should not get carried away. We must not forget that he is a driver who, even in good shape, falls a lot, attacks, always on the offensive. With a relatively new motorcycle for him, he would only increase his risk of falling, and, by extension, his risk of returning to the hospital.

Thirdly, as if that were not enough, I think he will also have to deal with a bike that is more suited to Marco Bezzecchi from now on. This was one of the problems with his original injury: the Italian, who has shown that he is very serious, gained the legitimacy to guide the development of the RS-GPMartin, in his situation, must not fall into the trap of internal competition, wanting to give his all on a bike he doesn't know well, to the point of falling.

It's sad to say, and it will probably be very difficult mentally, but in his case, the best approach is to wait for the storm to pass and be content with the places that come. I don't know if a spontaneous victory is worth the risk of getting injured again. I would prefer to see him at 100% at the start of the 2026 season, ready, why not, to play for the title.

 

Conclusion

 

For a champion of Jorge Martin's caliber, it must be very difficult to see Marco Bezzecchi tirelessly approaching the top three in the general classification without being able to compete. For his own good, I think he should leave his competitive spirit in the locker room, and not adopt the same approach as when he was playing for the championship in 2024. He would risk, by attacking excessively on a bike that he does not fully master, to injure himself, and perhaps even more seriously than the first two times. This is only a supposition, but I just wouldn't like him to risk sacrificing 2026. – and part of his long career, who knows – for a simple stage victory in 2025.

What do you think ? Tell us in the comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport