Martin’s Frustration Grows as He Hunts for an Aprilia That Works for Him

The 2025 MotoGP season has not been smooth for Jorge Martin, and the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano was another example of his ongoing struggle to unlock the potential of the Aprilia RS-GP. While his teammate Marco Bezzecchi dazzled with pole position, a Sprint victory, and a second-place finish in the main race, Martin was left frustrated after another weekend of missed opportunities, technical setbacks, and a bike that still doesn’t feel like his own.

A Tale of Two Riders

The contrast between Martin and Bezzecchi’s weekends could not have been more stark. Bezzecchi, who adapted seamlessly to the Aprilia package, showed impressive pace, fighting at the very front alongside Marc Marquez. His performance proved that the RS-GP has the speed to challenge the best.

Martin, however, endured a very different story. Qualifying was a struggle, as he could only manage 11th place. In the Sprint, he battled hard but could only salvage eighth, far from where he expected to be. The race on Sunday turned even more complicated after a technical problem on the sighting lap forced him to start from pit lane. This mistake triggered two long lap penalties, leaving him with no real chance to compete. He eventually crossed the line in 13th place, a result far below his ambitions.

Speaking after the race, Martin admitted he felt frustrated but remained determined to find solutions. “We need to understand what happened,” he told MotoGP.com when reflecting on the sighting lap issue. “Luckily, now, I don’t have anything to lose, so it’s not that important.”

A Potential Top-Five Lost

Despite the setbacks, Martin believed that his true pace was much stronger than his results suggested. He felt a top-five finish was within reach if not for the pit lane start and penalties. “Anyway, it was a good opportunity to make a good top-six, top-five – that was my target,” he explained. “But we couldn’t.”

The Spaniard added that riding alone for much of the race did at least give him a clearer picture of where he needs to improve. This self-assessment could be crucial in the upcoming tests. “Every day I feel a bit better with the bike. Today was a good day, a good opportunity to understand where to improve because I saw, riding on my own for a lot of laps, where I need to improve.”

“Different Bikes” Between Martin and Bezzecchi

Perhaps the most telling part of Martin’s post-race comments came when he directly compared his RS-GP setup to that of his teammate. “Comparing to Marco [Bezzecchi], we have different bikes. For sure, his bike is working for him, I need to make a bike that works for me. We are on that way.”

These remarks highlight a fundamental challenge: while Bezzecchi seems perfectly in sync with Aprilia’s package, Martin is still searching for a base setting that allows him to feel confident and competitive. In MotoGP, where tenths of a second make all the difference, finding the right setup can mean the difference between fighting for victory and languishing in the midfield.

It also raises questions about how adaptable the RS-GP is across riders. Bezzecchi’s style clearly complements the bike, but Martin’s more aggressive, late-braking approach may require a different balance. Until that alignment is found, results may continue to suffer.

The Importance of the Misano Test

One silver lining for Martin is that Monday following the San Marino GP marks the final in-season MotoGP test of 2025. For Martin, it will also be his first official test of the year. He had only managed 13 laps at Sepang earlier in the season before crashing, so he has been missing valuable development time compared to others.

“I’m really happy that tomorrow we have a test because it’s really important,” Martin said. “It will be my first official test, let’s say, with the MotoGP in the season. This will help me to grow, to make a step forward.”

The Misano test will give him a rare chance to experiment without the pressure of race conditions. This could be the breakthrough moment he needs to tailor the Aprilia to his unique riding style and finally bridge the gap to his teammate.

Aprilia’s Bigger Picture

For Aprilia, Martin’s struggles present both a challenge and an opportunity. On one hand, having one rider performing at the front while the other is mired in midfield makes for a mixed season. On the other hand, it proves that the RS-GP is capable of podiums and victories in the right hands.

Aprilia knows that unlocking Martin’s potential could give them a double threat at the front. With Bezzecchi already a proven contender, adding Martin as a consistent force would significantly increase their chances of challenging Ducati and Honda across the remainder of the season.

Martin’s Mindset Moving Forward

While clearly frustrated, Martin has not lost his motivation. He acknowledged that the process of adapting to a new bike can be long and complicated, but he remains committed to the task. “Every day I feel a bit better with the bike,” he said, suggesting that progress is happening, even if slowly.

Martin is also realistic about the need for patience. With no championship at stake after his string of difficult results, he can afford to focus fully on development and adaptation. “Luckily, now, I don’t have anything to lose,” he admitted, signaling that he sees this as a year of growth rather than immediate success.

Conclusion

The San Marino GP at Misano was another reminder of the gap between Jorge Martin’s current struggles and Marco Bezzecchi’s front-running form on the Aprilia RS-GP. While Bezzecchi thrives, Martin is still searching for a setup that allows him to perform at his best. Technical issues and penalties only made his weekend worse, but his determination to learn and improve remains strong.

The upcoming Misano test could prove to be a turning point. With valuable track time ahead, Martin finally has the chance to explore the bike’s potential and shape it around his riding style. Whether he can close the gap to his teammate will be one of the most intriguing storylines to follow in the second half of the 2025 season.

For now, Jorge Martin’s frustration grows, but so too does his resolve. If he can find an Aprilia that works for him, the Spaniard still has all the tools to become one of the most dangerous riders on the grid.