Jorge Martin Targets Buriram Comeback After Injury Year

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Jorge Martin is preparing for a critical comeback phase in MotoGP, confirming that his first on-track appearance of the 2026 pre-season will take place at the Buriram test as he continues his recovery from a year heavily affected by injury.

Twelve months ago, Martin’s campaign was derailed almost immediately. After sustaining an injury on the opening day of the Sepang test, his situation worsened following a crash while riding a road bike at a karting circuit, triggering a chain of injuries that continued to affect him throughout the season.

As a result, Martin was forced to miss the first official pre-season test in Sepang. However, speaking during the season presentation event in Kuala Lumpur, the Spaniard confirmed that he will return to action at the Buriram test in Thailand, marking the true starting point of his 2026 preparation.

“My first test will be in Thailand to understand the development process,” Martin told the official MotoGP channel. The comment underlined that his initial focus will be on technical understanding rather than immediate performance.

Martin expressed strong confidence in Aprilia’s development direction, while remaining realistic about the challenges that lie ahead in the early races of the season.

“I know Aprilia has done an incredible job with development. It will be very interesting to be 100 percent with this bike,” he said. “I think the first races will be a bit difficult, but the season is long. If the bike works well and I get used to it, I’m sure I can fight for the front positions.”

The scale of Martin’s disrupted 2025 season is reflected in the statistics. Of the 22 races held, he competed in just nine and finished only four, leaving him with limited mileage and little opportunity to build momentum or consistency.

Despite that, Martin believes Aprilia’s growing data bank offers a valuable reference point. He highlighted the importance of information gathered by Marco Bezzecchi, whose riding style Martin considers closely aligned with his own.

“Now we have a lot of data from last year with Marco, who has a riding style very similar to mine,” Martin explained. “I’m confident that if I can adapt well and get physically ready quickly, I will have an opportunity.”

Asked about his expectations relative to the front-runners, Martin adopted a measured tone. “I would be grateful if I could fight with them,” he said, referring to the leading riders. He was clear, however, that he has no contingency plan.

“There is no plan B. I will give my maximum to fight with them again,” Martin stated, prompting questions over whether he believes a repeat of his 2024 championship success is realistic.

“That’s a good question,” Martin replied. “I think it will depend on how well I adapt to the new Aprilia. If I can adapt quickly and find confidence within two or three races, anything can happen, because the bike is working well.”

Martin also reflected on the contrast between his current situation and his previous years with Pramac Ducati, where he established a reputation as one of MotoGP’s strongest one-lap performers and a frequent pole position contender.

“Last season I struggled a lot in qualifying, and it was difficult to work on that,” he admitted. “Once I really understand this bike, what it can do and where the limits are, I think the lap time will improve.”

He insisted that the gap to his rivals is not rooted in raw speed or riding ability, but rather in starting position. “In terms of speed and riding skills, I’m not very far from the others. So maybe it’s just a matter of grid position,” Martin concluded.

The Buriram test will therefore represent a pivotal moment for Martin, offering his first real chance to rebuild confidence, refine his understanding of the Aprilia package, and begin shaping the narrative of his 2026 season.

With his physical condition improving, a growing technical database at Aprilia, and a long championship still ahead, Martin’s return in Thailand will be closely watched as a key indicator of whether he can re-establish himself among MotoGP’s front-runners.