As announced by Aprilia, Jorge Martin is set to make his comeback in Brno – Paolo Bonora speaks of a cautious approach, as in winter testing
MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin will make his comeback at the Czech Grand Prix in Brno this weekend, as announced. Three months after his crash in Qatar, his injuries have healed and his season will begin at the twelfth race of the season.
“I can’t wait to get back on the bike,” Martin is quoted as saying in the Aprilia press release. “I’m really happy that this moment has finally arrived. We have a lot of work ahead of us together with Aprilia.”
“We have great potential to be successful. Now it’s time to start building and aim for a strong rest of the season.” On Thursday, Martin still has to get the green light from the MotoGP doctors. This is considered a mere formality.
Last week, Martin completed a private test day with the Aprilia RS-GP in Misano. A maximum of three sets of tires are allowed for such a test. The Spaniard completed 64 laps, which is equivalent to around 275 kilometers.
“Yes, he had a very good test in Misano,” Aprilia race manager Paolo Bonora told MotoGP.com. “It was his first contact with the latest version of the bike, with the new fairing and the complete package that Savadori and Bezzecchi are currently riding.”
“Jorge was very satisfied – and so were we. The approach to the test was deliberately without expectations. The only goal was to understand his physical condition – and we were quite impressed with the result because his feedback was particularly positive.“
”Above all, he said that the bike had improved compared to the last time he rode it in Qatar. He was in a positive mood and happy because we responded to all the points he had raised. We worked particularly on stability, and he noticed that immediately.”
Marco Bezzecchi proved that the RS-GP is competitive in recent weeks. He finished second behind Marc Marquez in Assen. And he also led the sprint for a long time at the Sachsenring, only being overtaken by Marquez on the last lap.
In the Grand Prix, Bezzecchi crashed while on course for a podium finish. “We have to thank Marco Bezzecchi and Lorenzo Savadori,” Bonora praised. “They have done a great job in the first six months.”
“And yes, Jorge gave exactly the same feedback as Marco and Lorenzo in the few laps he was able to ride at Misano. That shows that the Aprilia factory has worked hard – and he can feel that the bike has improved.“
Nevertheless, Brno and the subsequent races will essentially be a preparation for the season, like winter tests. ”When you’re racing against riders who have 6,000 kilometers more experience, the first few laps are a test,” Bonora emphasizes.
“You have to find out which direction to go in. We’re taking it very calmly, accompanying his recovery in a smart and cautious manner so that he gets into the rhythm at the right time. It’s not easy. Every lap helps to get back into the rhythm.”
