Jorge Martin, rider of the Aprilia team, has acknowledged that his brand is one step behind Ducati ahead of the Brazil Grand Prix. Martin stated that if conditions remain the same, it will be ‘impossible’ to keep up with the Ducati riders during the competition.
Martin’s comments come after the sprint race held in Goiania, where reigning champion Marc Marquez led a double for Ducati, followed by Fabio di Giannantonio. Martin finished the race in third position, with his teammate Marco Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura completing fourth and fifth places, respectively. The only one who could not shine was Raul Fernandez, who failed to score points finishing 16th.
Despite Aprilia’s dominance in the Thai Grand Prix recently, Martin believes the balance has shifted back towards Ducati in this first visit to Brazil in over two decades. “It’s an Aprilia circuit but we have a 1-2 from Ducati,” Martin declared, who relies on his adaptability to improve during the race.
After a qualifying session in which Martin fell and finished fifth, he managed to climb to third position during the sprint race. However, this was not enough to close the gap with Marquez, who ultimately finished 3.6 seconds ahead. Martin points out that the difference is not so great, hoping to set better times in the main race.
With new stiffer tires provided by Michelin, the Aprilia rider hopes to recycle his strategies on a track that presents more challenges for overtaking. Martin emphasizes that “both bikes are very fast” and that improvements need to be made to be on par with Ducati.
It is noteworthy that Marquez has warned that conclusions cannot be drawn from a single race, as track conditions and vehicle performance can vary considerably. He highlights the importance of consistently being among the top spots to remain competitive at the top of the championship.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
