Jorge Martin insists he has never been the favourite for the 2026 MotoGP title despite leading the championship for over two months. The Aprilia rider admits he still lacks the speed to match his main rivals, Marco Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez.
Speaking in the pre-event press conference for the San Marino Grand Prix, Martin said, "I think I've never been the favourite. I don't feel I have the speed enough still to fight for victories every weekend. I need to continue improving."
Martin took the championship lead after the Dutch Grand Prix in June, capitalising on a difficult run for his team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, who had won four of the opening seven races. Since then, Martin has held on to the top spot, aided by a sprint win and a second-place finish on Sunday at the British GP. However, pressure mounted after Marquez won again at Aragon, closing the gap to 19 points.
Interestingly, Martin has the fewest victories among the three title contenders, yet he is the only one who has not missed a race weekend this season, despite injury troubles. That consistency has kept him in the fight, but he acknowledges his form fluctuates from track to track.
"I still don't feel at my 100%. There are some races where I feel super strong and other ones where I struggle. So, I need to understand this thing well if I want to continue battling for this championship," he added. "But I feel there are some upcoming races that are really good for me."
With varying track characteristics, Martin's adaptability will be tested. He recognises that the speed of his rivals, especially Marquez and Bezzecchi, is still a step ahead. "Always during practice, I lose three-four tenths, so I'm still not at my top level," he admitted.
Nevertheless, Martin's determination to keep working hard is unquestionable. "Trust me, I am working hard to find that speed to try to fight with these guys to win the title, but it will be difficult. It's never easy to win, so we will see during the season," he concluded.
The battle for the championship is heating up. With a narrow points gap and fluctuating performances, every race will be a test for the trio. Martin knows that to stay in title contention, he must quickly find the consistency and speed that his rivals currently possess.
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