MotoGP 2026: Jorge Martin Confident of Full Fitness with Aprilia

Jorge Martin says he is confident he will finally begin a MotoGP season at full fitness when the 2026 campaign gets underway in Thailand, following a devastating injury-hit year with Aprilia Racing that severely disrupted both his physical condition and competitive momentum.

“It’s not easy after the year I’ve been through and all the struggles,” Martin said during Aprilia’s team launch in Milan on Thursday.
“But for me, the important thing is to get ready. I am sure that in Thailand, the first race, I will be 100 percent fit. Last season, it was impossible to say that.”

Martin’s 2025 season was derailed by four major accidents, most notably a heavy crash in Qatar that left him with eleven fractured ribs and lung damage. Beyond the physical consequences, the Spaniard admits the repeated setbacks also carried a significant mental toll, forcing him to rebuild confidence away from the spotlight.

“Mentally it’s tough. Anytime you have bad moments in life, you doubt everything,” he admitted.
“So for me, the important thing is to feel prepared. That’s why I’ve worked mentally and physically, to feel ready.”

Despite the difficulties, Martin insists the aggressive, dominant version of himself — forged during his final season with Pramac Ducati — has not disappeared.

“As soon as I feel ready, I feel nobody can stop me,” he said.
“This is my mentality when I am strong. This is how I will approach the season, and this is what I’m working toward.”

While team-mate Marco Bezzecchi delivered Aprilia’s best-ever MotoGP campaign by finishing third in last year’s world championship, Martin was limited to just seven grand prix starts, with a best result of fourth. However, he stresses that results alone do not tell the full story of his recovery.

“Last year, when I came back in Brno, I was seventh, then later fourth. It looked like the podium was getting closer,” Martin reflected.
“But for me, it’s more about feeling. Even when I was fourth, I didn’t have that feeling. I still didn’t have full control under my legs.”

For Martin, rediscovering that connection with the bike is the true performance benchmark.

“As soon as I have that feeling together with the bike, I will be fighting for victories,” he explained.
“Then I know how to approach qualifying, I will start further forward, and everything becomes easier. This is the main work at the moment.”

Having missed large portions of the 2025 season, Martin acknowledges that his influence on the development of the 2026 RS-GP was limited. Even so, he believes his technical feedback played a meaningful role in shaping key aspects of the new package, particularly through discussions with Aprilia technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini.

“I’m not the biggest part of the development of the 2026 bike, for sure,” Martin said.
“But what I advised Fabiano, and the things I felt we needed to change, were key. There are two or three things that were really important for me — and also for Marco.”

Martin declined to go into technical detail but offered a positive early indication.

“I can just say that they already brought something I was asking for in Valencia, and I think it’s working well with my riding style.”

Martin will make his first on-track appearance of 2026 during the Sepang pre-season test from 3–5 February — the same circuit and test where his injury nightmare began last year. This time, however, he arrives focused not on recovery, but on reclaiming the form and mindset required to fight at the front of the MotoGP field.

Do you believe Jorge Martin can return to his peak level and challenge for victories with Aprilia in MotoGP 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments below 👇