Jorge Martin came close to yet another disaster for Aprilia at the Austrian Grand Prix after crashing out with a handful of laps to go.
After sliding down the order, the reigning champion pushed hard to keep in contact with the front of the MotoGP pack, but their pace was strong.
A retirement was a great shame for Martin, who showed serious pace during the sprint race on Saturday, finishing just shy of points in 10th.
His Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi left the Austrian Grand Prix with a trophy to show for his efforts, as the Noale-based manufacturer’s bike continues to go from strength to strength.
After Honda tried to snatch Jorge Martin from Aprilia, he has managed to rebuild some trust within his team and align his focus for 2026.
However, Martin says the 2027 rider market is a ‘different story’, which will keep Aprilia on their toes regarding his future over the next 18 months.
READ MORE: Carlo Pernat makes ‘mischievous’ claim about Max Biaggi’s role in Jorge Martin’s Aprilia U-turn
Photo by Hazrin Yeob Men Shah/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesJorge Martin says pressure put him at the ‘limit’ for Aprilia during the Austrian Grand Prix
Martin took on the ‘toughest’ fitness challenge over the summer in a bid to boost his stamina for his return to MotoGP.
After the Czech Grand Prix, he knew that there was room for improvement and that he wasn’t quite at the level he was at before.
In fact, Martin took an unusual step to arrive ‘stronger’ for the second half of the season, by riding his bike during the break more often than normal.
It wasn’t enough to prepare him for the pressures of racing again, as he admitted that he was pushed to his absolute ‘limit’ in Spielberg.
“I started well, but maybe I was a little too careful. I tried to hold my position, but in the first laps the others immediately overtook me,” he told SPEEDWEEK.
“I still lack some experience in the early phase, when I have to be more aggressive. The pressure in front was extremely high, that was a new situation for me at the limit of my possibilities. The fall is a pity, but fortunately there are no physical consequences.”
Which MotoGP rider laughed at the idea of replacing Jorge Martin at Aprilia?
Martin will be delighted with a ‘perfect’ Aprilia solution, which has seen their starts improve this season. It was one of their biggest problems in years past.
With both parties committed to the future, it means that they can hone in on making significant changes that will help take them to the top.
A MotoGP rider laughed at the idea of replacing Martin, while there were strong indications that he wanted to leave his team earlier in the season.
Following a sudden change of heart, everything was soon fixed again, and the Spaniard had to make up with his team members for wanting to leave in the first place. He had lost faith in their project.