Jorge Martín admits Germany GP Sprint disappointment, vows to fight on

Jorge Martín has admitted he was left disappointed by his sixth-place finish in the MotoGP Sprint at the 2026 German Grand Prix: and insists miracles won’t fix the issues before the main race on Sunday.

The Sachsenring round has been a tough weekend for the Spanish Aprilia rider, who started ninth on the grid after a difficult Friday and Saturday. With teammate Marco Bezzecchi sidelined by a collarbone injury, Martín knows the Italian’s absence leaves a gap in the team’s fight at the front.

What happened in the Sprint?

Martín’s Sprint ended in sixth place, a result he called far from ideal. He revealed the team made a drastic change to the bike’s setup ahead of the Sprint, swapping direction entirely after struggling with front-end issues all weekend. The move brought slight gains, but the Ducati squad still held the edge in raw speed.

“It’s clear this hasn’t been the weekend I wanted,” Martín said. “We lost a lot of ground during the weekend. For the Sprint we decided to change the bike completely because something wasn’t working. We improved a little in speed, but I’m still far from the feeling I want.”

Why it matters for Jorge Martín

The German GP marks the latest chapter in Martín’s 2026 campaign, a season where consistency has been hard to come by. After missing six races last year due to injury, he admits his limited seat time makes circuit adaptation a constant battle.

“Last year I only raced six races,” he said. “So when I arrive at a circuit and don’t feel comfortable from the start, I need much more time to adapt. We have to work on the electronics, the setup… and on Fridays we don’t have enough time to figure it all out.”

Martín’s focus now turns to the warm-up session on Sunday morning, where he hopes to find the missing piece that could swing the race in his favor. The main event gets underway at 14:00 local time, with Martín starting ninth after a difficult qualifying session.

The road ahead for Martín and Bezzecchi

With Bezzecchi sidelined by a collarbone fracture, Martín extended his support to the Italian, who suffered the injury in a heavy crash during practice. The team’s medical staff confirmed Bezzecchi will miss at least four weeks, giving him time to recover before his return.

“First of all, I want to send all my strength to Marco,” Martín said. “Nobody deserves a bad streak like this. I know exactly what it’s like to be there: I’ve said it before. If he uses this moment, he’ll come back stronger.”

Martín also pointed to the competitive field as a silver lining. With multiple Aprilia and Ducati riders in contention, he can study their setups to refine his own approach.

“Having more competitive bikes on track is an advantage,” he said. “When you’re struggling, you can look at them and understand what needs to change. Raúl Fernández is the rider I watch most closely: we run very similar setups. He’s a bit heavier, but in terms of weight transfer and bike behavior, we’re quite alike.”

What comes next for Jorge Martín?

Martín’s immediate goal is simple: claw back time in the warm-up and salvage a strong result in the 30-lap main race. The Aprilia’s pace has shown flashes of brilliance this season, but the Sachsenring’s tight, technical layout demands precision: something Martín admits he hasn’t nailed yet.

“Miracles aren’t going to happen,” he said. “But we can improve. In the Sprint I was very limited by the front end. I wasn’t fluid, I lacked speed. I’m not going to cry about it: that’s just the reality.”

With the championship fight still wide open, every point counts. Martín’s ability to turn this weekend around could define his title hopes: and the team’s morale: as the season heads into its final stretch.