An old-style double
The triumphant Le Mans weekend, with the Sprint-GP double, has definitively marked the return to top form of Jorge Martin. After spending more time in the hospital than on the track last year and after trying in every way to break with Aprilia only to redeem himself thanks to the patient mending work of Massimo Rivola, the Spaniard is now back to being a true title contender.
After five rounds, Martinator’s score is impressive, especially when compared to the almost zero expectations on him at the start of this season after the 2025 ordeal. Martin has already won two Sprints and one GP so far and when he crossed the finish line he never finished worse than fifth; moreover, he has only scored one zero, at Jerez in the Sprint, and not due to his fault but because of a technical problem. In short, so far #89 has been perfect, always getting the most out of the bike and his performance.
Almost identical pace to 2024
The gap from the top of the championship – held by teammate Marco Bezzecchi – has dropped to just one point and the fact that Martin’s pace is championship-worthy is confirmed by the comparison between this season and that of two years ago which ended precisely with Martinator winning the championship aboard the Pramac Ducati.
In the duel against Bagnaia in that magical 2024 Martin favored consistency over flashes of brilliance: Pecco won 11 GPs against the Spaniard’s three, but the Italian’s many crashes contrasted with Martin’s relentless podium finishes rewarded the Madrid rider by just 10 points at the end of the year. This 2026 seems like a replay of that season: after five rounds Martin then had 129 points; now he has 127. A difference of just two points: at the time he had won two GPs and three Sprints, but had also suffered a bad crash at Jerez when leading the Sunday race.
| Jorge Martin 2024 | Jorge Martin 2026 | |
| Rounds contested | 5 | 5 |
| Points | 129 | 127 |
| Sprint wins | 3 | 2 |
| GP wins | 2 | 1 |
| Sprint podiums | 5 | 3 |
| GP podiums | 3 | 3 |
| Position in standings | 1st (+38) | 2nd (-1) |
In the comparison between the two championships it must be said that this Bezzecchi started much better than that Bagnaia: the Chivasso rider after five rounds in 2024 was already 38 points behind Martin while the Rimini rider is still ahead at the moment. Today as then the challenge takes place with equal bikes but in this case there is the additional fascinating element of having the two contenders sharing the same garage.
Certainly, unlike Bezzecchi, Martin already knows what it takes to win a World Championship and has shown, when it mattered, that he can handle the pressure. Bez, on the other hand, will have to learn the lesson that Bagnaia experienced firsthand: winning races counts, of course, but it also counts to bring home heavy points when winning is not possible. Martin, from this point of view, still seems the master. Just like two years ago.
