Jorge Martin reveals where he is struggling after…

Jorge Martin reveals where he is struggling after missing Czech GP Q2 cut

Jorge Martin says persistent front-end issues left him without the “spark to push” after missing out on a direct place in Qualifying 2 for the Czech Grand Prix.

The Spaniard could only set the 11th-fastest lap time during Friday Practice at Brno, ending up 0.6s off the ultimate pace aboard the factory Aprilia.

He was the only rider from the Italian manufacturer who didn’t progress into Q2; Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura topped the times ahead of works rider Marco Bezzecchi, while Raul Fernandez also made the cut while still recovering from appendicitis.

Martin made it clear that his one-lap struggles were not down to his physical fitness, insisting his recent crash at the start of the Hungarian GP had no impact on his performance on track.

Instead, he revealed that he simply lacked the confidence to push due to inexplicable issues with the front tyre on his RS-GP.

“I had good fun on the bike. I was always on the limit,” he said. “Physically, I feel much better than what I expected, so this is really good. I don't feel any limitation at all while riding. For sure, off the track, I feel the pain, but on the track, everything is good.

“Overall, I felt a really low feeling with the front during practice. I think I had some issue with the front tyre.

“Then I lost all that confidence. When I went into time attack, I didn't have that spark to push. I was improving every run, but I didn't have it, and I wasn't able to go to Q2.”

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team (Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images)

Martin said the problem he faced at Brno on Friday was similar to the issue that held him back during the previous two rounds in Italy and Hungary.

"Yes, it's been a few races [where I’ve had this problem]," he admitted. "Mugello, then Balaton, and now here, a bit of the same issue with the front.

“I don't really understand why, but we need to analyse and check what is going on.
I feel we improved a lot during the practice, but still I'm far from the other guys, so we need to understand for tomorrow.”

However, Martin remains optimistic about his chances for Saturday, where he will have another chance to make it into Q2.

“I think tomorrow will be another story. Everything will come to normal,” he said. “For sure, we need to work. It's not that it will come just like this, but I feel that the other athletes are going fast. For sure, something was wrong with my motorbike.”

Martin will have to serve a double long-lap penalty in Sunday’s race, with the stewards having found him guilty of triggering the opening lap melee at Balaton Park a fortnight ago.

The 2024 champion tried the long-lap loop several times during practice to prepare, admitting the asphalt was dirty as expected.

“It was really dirty in the morning,” he said. “Every lap is a bit better, but you cannot lean like usual. I hope some of the Moto2 riders also have long laps because I was watching the practice, and nobody was going there, just myself.

“But every in-lap, out-lap, I'm going there, and I feel now it's much better than in the morning.

“Overall, in terms of safety, I think it's safer to go on the green [section], because if somebody comes [in my way], I just go there. I don't lose a lot.

“Honestly, I'm cleaning quite a lot, and I hope that I will be losing around 1.5s, so it's not a disaster for each long lap. It's not a disaster, and I think it's one of the fastest things in the calendar.”