Jorge Martin arrives at the 2026 French MotoGP with growing confidence after believing the latest Aprilia updates delivered a significant performance step during the Jerez test. The reigning MotoGP world champion is now targeting a stronger weekend at Le Mans to reduce the championship gap to team-mate Marco Bezzecchi.
Martin used the post-race Jerez test to recover lost development time after missing part of pre-season testing due to injury. The Spaniard evaluated several existing components he had not previously tested while also trying new RS-GP26 development parts introduced by Aprilia.
Although Martin finished only 10th and last among the Aprilia riders on the Jerez test timesheets, he left the circuit feeling highly encouraged. According to the Spanish rider, nearly every adjustment made to the bike improved the overall feeling and brought the RS-GP closer to his natural riding style.
“Every new thing I was putting on the bike, I was feeling another step forward, another step forward,” Martin explained.
From a technical perspective, Martin revealed the latest updates improved turning performance and rear grip during acceleration phases. Both areas have become key development targets for Aprilia throughout the early stages of the season after several riders reported difficulties with corner-entry balance and rapid direction changes.
The improvements could prove especially important at Le Mans, where the stop-and-go layout places major emphasis on braking stability and rear traction. Aprilia has already demonstrated strong acceleration performance this season but continues working on front-tyre consistency and aggressive braking behaviour over long race distances.
“Everything is becoming more natural for my style. Every time I go on the track I feel more on my bike,” Martin added.
The French Grand Prix will also mark Martin’s first Le Mans appearance as an Aprilia rider after injury forced him to miss last year’s race. That situation creates an additional challenge as he continues adapting the RS-GP package to one of the most technical circuits on the calendar while fighting in an increasingly competitive title battle.
Meanwhile, Bezzecchi heads into France leading the world championship by 11 points over Martin. The Italian previously won the 2023 French MotoGP with VR46 Ducati and has maintained impressive consistency throughout the opening phase of the 2026 campaign despite seeing his winning streak end at Jerez.
“I feel rather good physically, even better than in recent races, and I’m convinced that we’ll be able to take another step forward here,” Martin said.
With Aprilia now emerging as one of the strongest packages on the 2026 MotoGP grid, the Le Mans weekend is expected to become a major indicator of whether Martin can genuinely close the performance gap to Bezzecchi and strengthen his chances of reclaiming the world championship.
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