The race weekend at Phillip Island presented a unique challenge for Jorge Martin after admitting he is still carrying his old Ducati riding style over to his new machinery. The 2024 world champion ended up as the slowest rider among the Aprilia stablemates following Friday's practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix.
The fast and flowing layout of the Phillip Island circuit has magnified the adaptation issues he is currently facing aboard the RS-GP. Since he missed last year's event due to injury, the Spaniard practically lacks crucial data compared to his fellow Aprilia riders heading into this crucial weekend.
Speaking to the media, he explained that his core issue stems from charging into corners with too much entry speed, exactly as he used to do on the Desmosedici. This problem becomes significantly more noticeable at the iconic Australian venue because maintaining corner-exit speed is paramount for a fast lap time.
"It's a problem I had before and still have," Martin explained regarding his struggles. "I try to enter the corners very fast and then I'm a bit late with picking up the throttle. So, yes, here the problem seems more significant; it's more noticeable, because you need a lot of speed coming out of the corners."
Moreover, his aggressive approach was effectively destroying the front tyre life. Despite the setback, he managed to find a silver lining after making crucial adjustments during the afternoon session, eventually breaking his personal lap record at the circuit.
"I think I broke my lap record here, my personal best, so I'm happy," he said. "I definitely needed to adapt to the Aprilia's style because I couldn't be here last year. I'm very used to riding here with the Ducati, so I was trying to push hard entering the corners, but I was destroying the front tyres, so I had to readjust my style a bit. In the afternoon, I felt much better, much more balanced."
This situation adds extra intrigue to the ongoing championship battle, where he remains locked in a razor-thin points fight with title rival Marc Marquez, who finished Friday practice inside the top three. If the competitive order holds through the weekend, the title race will reach a boiling point.
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