Martin Puts Pressure on Marquez: Racing Him Is Already a Win

Jorge Martin has once again asserted himself as a serious contender in MotoGP 2026. Despite leading Marc Marquez by 40 points, the Spanish Aprilia rider still considers himself the underdog. “It’s incredible, considering I couldn’t even do the first test in January,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport, as reported by Motosan.es.

Martin’s journey has been a rollercoaster. Last season he nearly lost everything due to injury. Now, leading the championship by 20 points over teammate Bezzecchi feels like a dream. “Injuries, physical pain, are the worst. But everything that happened helped me grow. I proved to myself I can come back from difficult situations,” said Jorge Martin.

Martin also admitted he has changed mentally. “I’m still a Martinator, just with more awareness. Awareness of myself and my sport,” he said. He stressed his strength comes from his team, family, and girlfriend. The bitter experience taught him to live in the present and enjoy every moment.

Read AlsoBagnaia's Worst MotoGP Weekend of 2026 at Silverstone

Interestingly, despite leading the points, bookmakers still have Marc Marquez as the title favorite. Martin doesn’t mind. “It’s clear they see Marquez as the favorite; he’s a nine-time world champion with a very strong bike. What matters is that I can fight with him. That’s already a victory for me,” he stressed.

The title fight also involves names like Ogura and Bezzecchi. Martin admitted being surprised by their performance. “I know my worth, and seeing them slightly stronger than me right now is very significant. I can exchange data with them, which is positive,” he said.

Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Martin is optimistic. “In the second half I always perform better. I love racing outside Europe; it refreshes the mind and helps me stay focused,” he said. He also insisted he has no regrets about his early future decision. “I have a great opportunity on a fantastic bike. I don’t want to waste a second of energy thinking about the future,” Martin concluded.