<figure id="attachment_3277331" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3277331" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3277331" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/36ddc95b-jorge-martin-07022026.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3277331" class="wp-caption-text">Jorge Martin missed Sepang pre-season testing for the second year, this time due to off-season surgeries instead of last year’s crash injuries. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
KUALA LUMPUR: Former MotoGP champion Jorge Martin is targeting a return to action at the Thailand Grand Prix as the Aprilia rider looks to put a nightmare 2025 season behind him – but his future with the team beyond this year remains clouded in uncertainty.
The Spanish rider, in the final year of his contract with Aprilia, missed pre-season testing at Sepang for the second consecutive year due to injury, this time due to surgeries in the off-season rather than crash-related injuries last year.
The 28-year-old has not yet received the all-clear ahead of the 2026 season opener at the Thailand Grand Prix weekend that starts on Feb 27.
Martin &#8216;still not feeling 100%&#8217;
&#8220;I think the target is to be in the Thailand Grand Prix. For sure, I&#8217;m still not feeling 100% but I started to see the light,&#8221; Martin told reporters at the MotoGP season launch on Saturday.
&#8220;Last year was really, really tough for me. It&#8217;s like it was a nightmare. I was always with some pain in some part of the body. Now I started to feel that it was getting out.&#8221;
After missing the first three races last year, he returned at the Qatar Grand Prix, where another crash ruled him out for several months. Martin eventually managed just seven races in the 22-race season.
The 2026 season will be more about rebuilding than title hunting for Martin, who acknowledged the competitive disadvantage of missing crucial development time on the bike.
However, he also praised his teammate Marco Bezzecchi&#8217;s work during the Sepang sessions.
&#8216;Building my confidence again&#8217;
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s more about building my confidence again, to be back to winning, to feel my full potential. This is the target,&#8221; Martin said.
&#8220;For sure, it&#8217;s a handicap (missing out on testing), because you lose time on development of the bike, on understanding the bike. But I think Marco did a fantastic job during the test and the bike is ready to go.&#8221;
The relationship between Martin and Aprilia remains strained after contract disagreements last year, with the Spaniard even announcing his intention to leave Aprilia ahead of the 2026 season before his U-turn two months later.
When asked about trust levels with the Italian manufacturer, Martin was diplomatic but non-committal.
&#8220;It&#8217;s difficult to say at the moment. For sure, it&#8217;s nice that they renewed Marco that fast. But now, I have different options,&#8221; Martin said.
Martin confirmed his management team is exploring alternatives for 2027, including potential talks with Yamaha, although he remained coy about specifics.
&#8220;My team is working on that. I&#8217;m not really in talks with anyone,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So my team will do it and let&#8217;s see what happens.&#8221;

MatchPoint Times

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