Jorge Martin finished Friday practice for the Australian Grand Prix fifth and last among the Aprilia riders at Phillip Island. His main difficulty is a habit carried over from his Ducati years: he attacks corner entries at high speed, then takes too long to pick up the throttle on the way out.

That approach is especially costly at Phillip Island. The circuit’s fast, flowing character rewards speed through the exits, so Martin is trying to brake and turn in more slowly in order to improve what follows the apex. He also acknowledged that his previous style was placing heavy demands on the front tyre.

The adjustment is made more significant by Martin’s record at the circuit with Ducati. He took three pole positions there from 2022 through 2024, but missed last year’s Australian Grand Prix because of injury. This is therefore his first Phillip Island visit with Aprilia, leaving him with less data for the bike at the track than his team-mates.

Room to recover

Despite ending the day fifth and last of the Aprilias, Martin said his pace was not far from the required level. He also felt noticeably better and more balanced in the afternoon, suggesting that the adaptation to Aprilia’s demands was progressing during the day.

Marc Marquez was third-fastest on Friday, while the two riders arrived at the Australian weekend separated by two points. Saturday’s sprint therefore carries immediate championship significance: if its order matched Friday practice, Martin and Marquez would go into Sunday’s grand prix level on points.