Max Biaggi saw how Jorge Martin was ‘truly superior’ to his MotoGP rivals in French Grand Prix win

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Max Biaggi thinks Jorge Martin was “truly superior” to his MotoGP rivals en route to winning the 2026 French Grand Prix, as the Aprilia rider’s race pace was unbeatable.

Martin also further astounded Biaggi with his race craft around Le Mans last Sunday, as the Spaniard sealed his first Grand Prix win for Aprilia. The 28-year-old even did the double for the first time with the Italian factory at the French GP after winning the Sprint on Saturday.

A sensational start saw Martin win the Sprint at Le Mans from P8 on the grid, as he flew off the line to sit P4 before the field hit the Turn 1 kink. Martin then showed a lot of bravery to fly around the outside at T3, before he darted to Marco Bezzecchi’s inside to lead out of T4.

While Martin did not enjoy as strong of a start in the French GP, his race pace showed Biaggi why his victory in Sunday’s race was so impressive. Martin failed to make up as many places after showing more caution into Turn 3 and had to gradually make his way through the field.

Max Biaggi thinks Jorge Martin’s race pace was ‘truly superior’ in his French Grand Prix win

Martin methodically made his way up the order on Sunday after he only gained one place at the start of the French GP. The 2024 champion also only began to make his way up the order from Lap 7 after picking off Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo before VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Jorge Martin from net worth to girlfriend

Once Martin dispatched KTM’s Pedro Acosta, only his Aprilia teammate Bezzecchi ran ahead on the road. And while the Italian held a sizable margin at first, Martin registered a string of fast laps to catch up before making his move for the lead with a lunge on the brakes into T3.

Bezzecchi did not have anything to give in response to Martin’s pace and eventually finished 0.477s shy, as Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura in P3 also gave Aprilia their first ever podium lock-out. Biaggi takes great pride in Aprilia’s accomplishment, but sees that Martin had the difference.

Aprilia ambassador Biaggi told Sky Sports Italy: “It was a real triumph [on Sunday] to see three Aprilias in the top three places on the podium. That’s never happened before. So, it’s a great source of satisfaction – a small page of Aprilia history has been written.

“And there’s huge, huge, huge excitement, but also satisfaction, because seeing all three of them up there and with such dominance. Remember, on Saturday, Martin won with a sensational start. [On Sunday], however, the start wasn’t quite as sensational.

“But even though he finished the first lap in sixth or seventh place, he had a pace that was truly superior to the others. And gradually, on a circuit where it’s difficult to overtake, he caught up with the leaders, then took the lead and stayed there until the end.

“That’s what he did. Even starting from the back, he fought his way up. In short, I’d say three exceptional riders, but also a great bike at the moment.”

Raul Fernandez felt overtaking like Jorge Martin at Le Mans on the Aprilia RS-GP was ‘almost impossible’

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Biaggi was not alone in admiring Martin’s ride to victory in the French GP, as Trackhouse ace Raul Fernandez admits that he found matching the Spaniard and his teammate Ogura’s way of attacking rival riders around Le Mans to be “almost impossible” aboard the Aprilia RS-GP.

Fernandez said, via quotes by Motorsport.com: “I felt uncomfortable throughout the race. When I was less than three or four tenths of a second behind Enea Bastianini, I felt that way because I couldn’t brake the bike properly. So, for me, overtaking was almost impossible.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Raul Fernandez from net worth to career stats

“If you watch the race, it looks super easy to overtake with our bike, especially Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura. It looked like they were riding a MotoGP bike, and the rest of us were on a Moto2. But that’s not the case for me.

“I’m fighting to try and overtake in every corner. I’m trying to give it my all. But when I’m less than three or four tenths [of a second] behind my rival, I feel really uncomfortable with the rear tyre. I feel like I can’t brake the bike the way I want.”

Ogura followed Martin through the field to score his maiden MotoGP Grand Prix podium on Sunday with P3 in the French GP riding a satellite Aprilia RS-GP with Trackhouse. Fernandez only finished in eighth place, with a 12.497s deficit to Martin and an 11.623s gap to Ogura.

Martin’s victory means he is also now just one point behind Bezzecchi atop the 2026 riders’ standings ahead of this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix. Ogura is even up to fifth place with a 61-point deficit to Bezzecchi, having eclipsed Fernandez who is sixth with a 66-point deficit.