The time has come for Jorge Martin to return to racing and to talk about everything that has happened during his absence. After his injury in Qatar, not only has the world champion been away from the GPs, but he also thought about freeing himself from his contract with Aprilia for next year as well. Today, in a special press conference organized for his return, he was able to clarify everything that has happened in recent months.
Martin anticipates the question everyone wants to ask him, "I am really happy to be back here, I had 6 or 7 very difficult months for me, I suffered a lot. I can also be happy to say that I will continue in Aprilia also in 2026."
Why did you change your mind?
"I want to explain a little bit about what happened, so it will be easier. After the first, the second and then the third injury, one worse than the other, I started to have a lot of doubts, not only about the future but also about myself. At that moment I had to make a decision and it was to be able to ride the Aprilia more races, otherwise I would have enforced the clause. Aprilia denied the first chance and I understand and respect them. At that point I started fighting for what was the best thing for me, to go to another project. I could have continued in this fight, but in life you have to make decisions and now it is to stay here. I saw that Marco and Aprilia did a fantastic job, I'm not an idiot, I know that together we can have a very good potential and I'm ready for what will happen."
Tell us about your test at Misano.
"I feel prepared from a physical condition point of view, I think I'm in the best shape ever in my whole life. I need a lot of hours on the bike, on my RS-GP. I took advantage of the time to work on myself and I feel like a better rider. The test was great, we worked a lot on the riding position and we will continue here at Brno. I feel good, I found a bike a bit different from the one I rode in Qatar, I have to thank Marco and Aprilia for that."
Do you have any regrets about everything that happened?
"I have no regrets. Everything I did was what I thought was the best for me and my future.No one can understand what happens in a hospital, when you have 12 broken ribs and can't sleep, what went through my mind. I only thought about what was best for my future."
Why did you want to go to Honda? The Aprilia is more competitive.
"Honda was an option, but not the only one."
How do you think your relationship with Aprilia is now?
"A relationship is like a roller coaster, you have lows, you have fights, but you like each other and you work for common goals, that's the situation now. I can't say nothing happened, there was a big fight, but now we want to be together and win together, that's what's important. It is possible to fall in love again."
Why did you have doubts to continue together?
"When I signed the contract, I wanted to have security. I hadn't ridden that bike because of injuries, and I wanted to test what I could do in the saddle. I had a chance and I made a choice. Being in the hospital didn't help; with a normal season maybe nothing would have happened. The important thing is that I'm here and the matter is closed."
You sound enthusiastic.
"I am enthusiastic. The only thing is that I don't like being here alone on stage, it's strange (laughs). I can't wait to get started."
What changed your mind?
"It was a combination of things. I wanted it all to be over before I went back to racing, not to come here while I was struggling with Aprilia. I can't go to the track thinking about anything else. Then I looked at their improvements. In testing and Qatar everything had been bad for me because of crashes and injuries. Then I saw how Aprilia helped me, welcomed me in the All Stars at Misano, kept me safe and I changed my thinking."
Don't you think your team may have suffered this situation? Have you apologized to them?
"When you go back to the paddock after everything that happened, you feel some tension, but in the end we can talk. If I did something wrong, we can talk about it. I didn't apologize because I have nothing to apologize for, it was a decision for my career and now we are together. If I can do something to improve our relationship, I will. For me it's important to feel like family, I work for that."
Have you talked to your team yet?
"I talked with my team, with the test team, with Massimo. It won't be easy, I don't expect a bed of roses, but that's the way it is and I will give my best to get good results together."
In hindsight, would you have done anything differently?
"You are never prepared for what happens in life.You always face different situations, some you don't expect, and when they come, it's not easy to accept them. Qatar was one of them. Only my dad and my fiancée know what I went through, physically and mentally, for me to be here shows my fairness and gives me motivation."
Did you expect Aprilia to let you go without a fight?
"No, but I don't want to keep talking about that. I'm not an idiot, I know we had different visions. The important thing is to be here and I have already explained what happened."
Will mutual respect help rebuild the relationship?
"If the quarrel had been more aggressive, then it would have been more difficult to work together again. Both of us have been very honest with each other from day one and we are still honest now. It's time to put our heads down and get back on top."
Have these months made you grow?
"I struggled to keep my confidence when I was in the hospital. I didn't think I had this much courage, and now I will have it forever."
Do you feel you owe Aprilia a thank you?
"Yes, for all the work they did on the bike and maybe in the future, if we win together, I will thank Massimo for everything he did to keep me here. The opportunity we gave ourselves last year is great, now we will give ourselves another one to work on this project. Now is the time to work."
Are the doubts gone?
"When I was in the hospital I didn't know if I could race again. It was a very difficult five or six days, I was talking to my girlfriend, to my dad, sometimes to Aleix. I didn't know if I could come back to racing and if I would be fast then. They were not doubts about the personal aspect, but professional."
Was it more difficult than the Portimao injury in 2021?
"Nothing to do with it. When you are more ... ignorant, younger, you just think about healing and getting back on the bike. Now I was surrounded by this whole cloud of thoughts, you are more important and everyone is talking about you. Even the injury was more serious, but I learned from what happened and if it happens again it will be better."
Public opinion has not all been on your side....
"Fans are important, the engine of our life. I can understand their opinion and I can only say that I did what I thought was best for my life and my future. Maybe some will come back to my side, but I am focused on my family and my people."
Did Ezpeleta's intervention block your 'escape'?
"I respect Carmelo's position, he is the big boss. That's all."
Was it a mistake to give the whole affair to the media?
"With Aprilia we talked privately. Then they had their strategy, we had ours, and in the end we are together again."
When can you get back to fighting in the front?
"I don't know, it's impossible to know. I don't want to speculate on the results, I'm here to recover, but most of all I'm here to race, not to do laps. It's important to race in Brno before the summer break and then work on what I'm missing. There are still many races before the end of the championship to get on the podium and win."
Can you do it?
"I can get back to my level, but I have to figure out how much my overall level has risen. I've only raced one race in 9 months, that's the biggest problem, I have 6000 km to go and I have to be patient. I don't know if I'll be 3rd or 15th tomorrow, we'll see, in the meantime I'm happy to be here."
Photo © Pier Luca Brunetti