“I cannot make speed”: Jorge Martin explains “difficult” Aragon MotoGP

After going 1-2 at the Silverstone MotoGP, Jorge Martin entered Aragon with momentum, but he leaves with two fifths while his closest title rivals closed in.

Martin’s Aragon was not catastrophic, he still holds a 19-point lead over Marc Marquez heading to Misano in two weeks’ time and 24 points over his Aprilia Racing team-mate Marco Bezzecchi.

But compared to Silverstone, where he had the pace to win both MotoGP races, at Aragon he was without the potential to contend for the podium over either half- or full-distance.

In the end, two top-fives were something to be happy about for Martin, who felt that was the maximum available to him.

“It was difficult, but nothing different from what I expected,” Jorge Martin said of his race at Aragon.

“I was trying to be optimistic and maybe with a good start I was able to do something else, but I couldn't. 

“Today the maximum was top-five and I'm happy that I took the maximum. I really want to move forward and think about Misano.”

Martin added that he knew from Friday that he couldn’t challenge for the podium.

“After Silverstone for sure my feeling was a bit better, so I expected maybe to fight for the podium,” he said, “but Friday already I saw that I couldn't. 

“I knew that the top-five already was going to be difficult, so I'm happy that at least I was closer today to the podium than yesterday.”

The problem, as it was on Saturday, was grip, he said: “The grip overall was my limit during all the weekend. I was struggling a lot with the grip. 

“I think towards the [halfway point] of the race or end of the race I was feeling a bit better. I was able to catch a little bit Alex [Marquez]. 

“I think overall I'm happy with that, but this is the maximum achievement I could do. 

“Today, as I said before, top-five was the maximum and I took the points. I prefer that [than] to take some risks and crash. This is what I think I need to do at the moment. 

“Maybe in the next races I have to take more risks, but not for this one.”

The championship leader continued, saying that he thinks the issue will not be present at other tracks with more grip than Aragon.

“I feel what is happening, but I don't feel the performance, let's say,” he said.

“I feel I'm sliding everywhere and I cannot make speed, I cannot build speed, and that's the issue. 

“I'm happy that I feel the bike. This is really super-important. 

“When the grip is there or tracks where we have grip, this won't be a problem.”

He added: “[Tracks] like Misano. Austria also I think can be good. I think it's more about this track, particularly, that I struggled. 

“I really wanted to finish the weekend, honestly. 

“I took two top-fives that are quite okay, and in a really bad weekend, I think the worst almost of the season in terms of speed, I was able to make some points.”