What was different about Jorge Martin’s struggles in Aragon GP?

Jorge Martin’s struggles at the MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix were primarily track-specific rather than indicative of a broader issue with his Aprilia. The 2024 MotoGP champion failed to qualify on pole and finished fifth, a significant drop from his performance at Silverstone just three weeks prior, where he secured pole, won the sprint, and claimed second place in the grand prix.

While some of this decline could be attributed to Ducati's edge over Aprilia in Aragon, Marco Bezzecchi's podium finish on the RS-GP suggested the bike had more potential. For Martin, the primary issue was a lack of traction throughout the weekend, a problem that didn’t significantly impact other Aprilias. "I don't feel a lot of grip," he admitted.

"Maybe I need to train more on flat tracks because I feel I'm always loose and I'm not really enjoying the motorbike, but this is part of the journey." The grip limitation was his main challenge during the entire weekend, but he managed to catch teammate Alex Marquez towards the end of the race. Martin's form had been inconsistent throughout the first half of the season, fluctuating wildly from race to race.

However, he managed to rediscover the 'feeling' that had been missing on his bike when he reverted to an older set-up at Silverstone, the same one that led to a double win at Le Mans. He carried this set-up direction into Aragon, and while the performance was still lacking, he felt comfortable on the bike. Despite the Aragon weekend being his worst of the season in terms of speed, Martin remains confident.

"I feel confident. I feel good with the front," he emphasized. "The thing is that the grip is dropping, so I think the bike is working really well, but I just need to improve to ride when the grip is low." Martin got off the line well on Sunday and briefly moved to second behind team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, only to drop back to fifth after Marc Marquez secured a double win.

With Marquez's victory, Martin’s championship lead has been reduced from 31 to 19 points, with nine rounds remaining in the season.