Marco Bezzecchi
Jorge Martin’s MotoGP title defence didn’t quite turn out the way he might have imagined that it would.
He spent the majority of 2025 on the sidelines, hampered by multiple incidents that had a major effect on his body. Mentally, it also took a toll.
Despite disputes with Aprilia, he remains in a strong position heading into the new year. He has a bike which looks as though it could challenge Ducati over the next few months.
With the MotoGP rider market about to intensify for 2027, Martin may already be on the lookout for his next move. If he starts winning again, he has no reason to relocate.
Jorge Martin had a few scary accidents this year. Can he bounce back?
Martin is ‘less effective’ than Marco Bezzecchi, particularly under braking, and was outshone by his confident teammate when he was able to race in his debut season with Aprilia.
If he were still at Ducati, Martin thinks he could have fought Marc Marquez right until the end. He doesn’t expect that he would have suffered quite as much as Francesco Bagnaia did against him.
READ MORE: Jorge Martin ‘hopes’ he can say the same thing as Marc Marquez when he retires
Jorge Martin has accepted being ‘in the spotlight’ despite difficult MotoGP season in 2025
Martin was left ‘crying so much’ after his Qatar crash earlier in the year, which left him with a collapsed lung and 11 broken ribs.
It was a gruelling recovery process, and fans were quite clued in the whole way. They had an idea of how long his recovery might take.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, the Spaniard revealed how he has accepted that there’s always going to be a lot of coverage of him, even when he struggles.
“It hasn’t affected me at all, I feel like I’m always in the spotlight,” he said. “I always say it, for one reason or another, I’m always everywhere, whether it’s the interview on El Hormiguero, or La Resistencia, or [about] Aprilia, or I get injured, or I come back.
“I feel that I’m one of the reference riders, together with Marc [Marquez], Fabio [Quartararo], Pecco [Bagnaia] and Pedro [Acosta]. The five of us are the riders who are always there.”
Martin wanted to go home during the post-season test in Valencia, after rushing to be back in time to get a feel of his next bike. Reinjuring himself was a daunting prospect, but he got away unscathed.
READ MORE: Jorge Martin reveals how he felt when he watched Marc Marquez lift the MotoGP trophy
Why Jorge Martin is under some pressure at Aprilia in 2026
With Martin’s original two-year Aprilia deal set to expire before the end of 2026, he still needs to perform if he wants to guarantee a good ride for the following seasons.
Martin isn’t worried about a new Aprilia contract yet as he focuses on getting back to full fitness and confidence.
However, he can’t really afford to go through another campaign as he has just had. He has to prove that he can be good value for money again.
Bezzecchi was never expected to be the team’s number one, and yet he managed to perform like it this year. That can be of benefit to Martin, but also a hindrance, as it increases expectations.
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