Jorge Martin arrives at Mandalika with a two-point advantage over Marc Marquez in the MotoGP standings. The 2024 champion surrendered ground to his main title rival across the two Motegi races, but Aprilia’s RS-GP26 provided an important positive by performing competitively at a circuit that had previously exposed the manufacturer’s weaknesses.

Martin began the Japanese weekend with pole position and a new lap record. He was initially classified second in the sprint, before a one-place penalty for touching the green surface on the final lap moved him to third. He then finished second in the Grand Prix behind Marquez. The RS-GP26’s pace at Motegi gives Aprilia a stronger platform as the championship moves on, even though Martin lost points in both races.

Mandalika may offer Martin a more favourable setting. He has said that he has always felt comfortable at the Indonesian circuit, which has also been a productive venue for Aprilia and for Martin in the past. Martin has urged Aprilia to preserve its current approach, continue working together and keep improving day by day. He is also described as a future Yamaha rider.

Marco Bezzecchi is 49 points behind the championship leader, with six race weekends still to run. Remaining in the title fight requires him to take points from both Martin and Marquez on a regular basis. Mandalika has already delivered a strong result for the Italian: he won its sprint race last season, although a collision with Marquez ended his Grand Prix. Bezzecchi’s stated aim for this visit is to remain competitive in every track session and recover ground in the standings.