Aprilia’s Jorge Martin says the 2026 bike feels “very natural” for his riding style following pre-season testing, but admits he is still “two, three tenths” off the pace.

The 2024 world champion made his return to riding last weekend at the Buriram test, having sat out the Sepang test to recover from multiple off-season surgeries.

Despite just two days on the RS-GP heading into this weekend’s Thai Grand Prix, Jorge Martin emerged from testing in good shape, finishing eighth on the combined timesheets.

Martin says he comes to the opening round of the season having found a base set-up for the Buriram track, though concedes he is still at least two tenths away from the pace he needs to fight at the front.

“I think we found a bit the base for this track,” he said.

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“I think we are in a good position in terms of aerodynamics. We have different choices depending on the track, so this is very good.

“Depending on what we need, we will choose one or another.

“Today I was working on closing the things, working on electronics, on my race weekend.

“I felt always constant. I think we miss two, three tenths to the fastest riders in terms of pace.

“Also my time attack I was with a bit of margin and I was fast. I’ve done a really big improvement from last season.”

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Martin ‘doesn’t need to do anything different’ to push on 2026 Aprilia

Though a fragmented pre-season, Martin is in much better shape in terms of his understanding of the Aprilia than this time last year.

He feels now he is able to push the RS-GP in a natural way, but is wary of making any predictions for the coming races.

“I think with this bike I can take out my potential,” he added.

“I still miss laps and races, but it’s a bike where I feel my riding style is very natural.

“I don’t need to do different things from the past, and the speed comes.

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“I don’t want to rate it too optimistically, because this is a really strange track.

“And then when you go to Austin or Jerez, everything changes. But the first feelings are very good.”

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