Jorge Martin is urging Aprilia to maintain their momentum as he arrives at Mandalika holding a narrow two-point lead over Marc Marquez in the 2024 MotoGP championship standings.
Last weekend at Motegi, Martin managed to minimize his losses on a track where both Marquez and Ducati have traditionally performed well. He set a new lap record in qualifying, securing pole position, but ended up second in the sprint race, which was later adjusted to third after a penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap. In the main race, Martin finished second again, trailing behind Marquez and Diogo Moreira.
Despite surrendering some points to his closest rival in both contests, a positive takeaway for Martin was the strong performance of the RS-GP26, especially on a circuit where it had struggled before. Mandalika, a venue where Aprilia and Martin have enjoyed success previously, offers another opportunity for the Spaniard—soon to join Yamaha—to extend his lead.
“We leave Japan feeling very satisfied, especially since this track wasn’t typically one of Aprilia’s best,” Martin commented ahead of the weekend. “The team did an outstanding job, and with two podiums, it shows everyone’s dedication. Now we head to Indonesia, where I’ve always been comfortable. The championship is still very close, so we need to continue working together and improve every day. See you in Mandalika!”
For his teammate Marco Bezzecchi, consistently finishing ahead of both Martin and Marquez is critical if Aprilia wants to keep him in the title hunt through to the final round in Valencia. Currently 49 points behind the leader with six races left, Bezzecchi sees Mandalika as a chance to regain ground. He won last season’s sprint race at this track but didn’t finish the grand prix due to a collision with Marquez.
“I’m happy to be racing here in Indonesia,” Bezzecchi said. “Mandalika is a track I really enjoy. Coming off a strong showing in Japan, we aim to keep improving and be competitive in every session on track.”
Fan Take: This tight battle between Martin and Marquez highlights the thrilling unpredictability of the 2024 MotoGP season, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Aprilia’s growing competitiveness also adds fresh excitement to the championship fight, promising memorable races in the months ahead.
Source: www.crash.net
