Jorge Martin expects a complicated return: "I will be at least 5000 km behind schedule"

The reigning world champion MotoGP, Jorge Martin, is eagerly awaiting his return to the track after a tumultuous pre-season marked by injuries. 

Although he has already confirmed his absence from the first three rounds, the Spaniard remains optimistic about his participation in the Qatar Grand Prix, scheduled for the weekend of April 11-13. In an interview with the Italian media, La Gazzetta dello Sport, No. 1 returns in detail to this objective.

"I expect to be in Qatar, but only if it is safe to do so, he emphasizes, maintaining a cautious approach to avoid prolonging his convalescence. I'll be making a visit after Austin, I think. Those are the deadlines, and it would be a mistake to rush it because it might make everything take even longer."

Jorge Martin's debut with Aprilia is likely to be difficult, however, given the limited pre-season testing the Spaniard has had, and the delay he has taken compared to the other riders on the grid, who will already have 3 weekends of experience on their new bikes when he returns. 

However, Jorge Martin says he's confident that this setback will make him stronger upon his return. He remains realistic about the goals he can set for himself, though. “Seeing Marc win is not something anyone would have expected… Compared to the others, I am at least 5 km behind. So I need to come back as soon as possible and get familiar with the bike.” 

Jorge Martin confirms his hopes of return

To change the subject, Jorge Martin also mentioned Ducati's decision in June 2024 at Mugello, stressing that he holds no resentment.

“That’s life. You have to adapt and learn, he adds again. I focused on what I had to do: win the world championship. I don't have any hard feelings against anyone. At the end of the day, I like challenges, and there's no bigger challenge than trying to win again on a bike that's never won the championship. So I'm happy."

In correlation with what he expressed in his interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Jorge Martin himself confirmed his objective in a video capsule published on Instagram, in which he appears to be at least optimistic about the continuation of the adventure 

“It’s been a really tough time, but now I’m starting to see the light. I won’t be in Austin, the plan is to be in Qatar, but nothing is certain, so I don’t know yet. I’m really looking forward to getting together with my team, Aprilia, and riding this amazing bike.” concludes the 2024 world champion.

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