That Friday at Mandalika was not entirely straightforward for Jorge Martin, as Motorsport.com reports. Even though the Aprilia Racing Team rider wound up third-quickest in Practice, he openly admitted he spent the day wrestling with his machine. The core issue? A front tyre simply refusing to stay warm. Martin confessed he felt like he was losing the front everywhere, destroying his confidence and preventing him from stringing together a proper run of laps. Only when a time attack arrived did things normalize somewhat, though the pace still lacked that ultimate edge.
Up front, it was a masterclass from his fellow Aprilia runners. Raul Fernandez claimed the top spot in Practice with a blazing new lap record on the Trackhouse-run Aprilia, leaving Martin facing a 0.481s deficit to the front. To make matters worse, his team-mate Marco Bezzecchi also had his measure, edging him out by 0.26s in both sessions. Martin noted that Raul is currently a step ahead, leaving the 2024 champion hunting for overnight fixes just like he managed after a tricky Friday in Japan last weekend.
Despite the friction, Martin still holds fond memories of the 4.3km track, having taken victory here with Pramac Ducati during his 2024 title march. He is banking on the team ironing out these temperature gremlins so he can fight for the win. Yet, his gaze remains firmly locked on the championship picture. Heading into Saturday's sprint, Martin holds a razor-thin two-point lead over his chief title rival Marc Marquez, with Bezzecchi sitting 49 points adrift in third.
Speaking of the reigning champion, Marquez managed a fifth-place finish on the Ducati and left Martin thoroughly unimpressed in the wrong way—meaning the Aprilia star actually fears his speed. While Marquez sits seven tenths off the lead, he is only two tenths behind Martin, keeping the gap tight. In Martin's eyes, Marquez's long-run pace is even better, proving that the old struggles at this venue are a thing of the past. When asked about his main threats, Martin made it clear that between his rapid stablemates and a resurgent Marquez, the battle ahead requires fighting them all.
