Jorge Martin has opened up about the challenges of being a MotoGP title favourite, explaining why he has rarely faced Marc Marquez at full strength and who he considers his toughest rival on the grid.
Injuries have played a significant role in limiting the number of direct clashes between Martin and Marquez. Martin made his MotoGP debut with Pramac in 2021, just as Marquez was returning from a serious arm injury sustained at Jerez in 2020. The injury had caused Marquez to miss almost the entire 2020 season, with further absences extending through to 2023.
During this period, Honda struggled to develop their bike without him, leaving Marquez unable to fully compete for victories. He managed three wins in 2021 but did not return to the top step of the podium until joining Gresini in 2024.
The latter part of 2024 was the only period when Martin and Marquez regularly competed at the front. Marquez claimed three wins in the final nine rounds, including victories over Martin in Aragon and Australia, but Martin ultimately secured the championship that year.
Reflecting on his rivalries, Martin emphasized that his most consistent competition did not come from Marquez, but from Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia. While Martin and Marquez shared the track in 2024 with Martin on a factory Ducati GP24 and Marquez on the older GP23, injuries disrupted opportunities for regular encounters, making Bagnaia the rider who has consistently pushed him the hardest.
Martin’s insights highlight the unusual circumstances of recent MotoGP seasons, shaped as much by injuries and bike development as by on-track performance.
