Jorge Martin explains what’s really behind the ‘hate’ he gets as a MotoGP title favourite
We haven’t seen much of Jorge Martin facing off against Marc Marquez when both are fully fit, and their injury histories over the past five years have played a big part in that.
Martin made his MotoGP debut with Pramac in 2021, just as Marquez was coming back from the serious arm injury he picked up at Jerez in 2020. Marquez missed almost the entire 2020 season and ended up sitting out five more races through to 2023.
Honda struggled to develop their bike without him, and by the time he returned, they had lost their way. Marquez managed three wins in 2021 but didn’t stand on top of the podium again until he joined Gresini in 2024.
The latter part of 2024 is still really the only period where Martin and Marquez were regularly fighting for top honours. Marquez took three wins in the last nine rounds, including victories over Martin in Aragon and Australia, though it was Martin who came away with the championship.
Francesco Bagnaia named Jorge Martin’s toughest opponent in MotoGP
But while Marquez clinched the 2025 MotoGP title with five races to go in a dominant season after joining Ducati, Martin was unable to defend his crown after moving to Aprilia. The 27-year-old missed one of the eight Grands Prix he entered that year due to injury.
READ MORE: The worst MotoGP title defences in history, as Jorge Martin sets a new record
When asked about the toughest rider he’s faced, Martin pointed to Francesco Bagnaia. Their rivalry included Bagnaia winning the 2023 title by 39 points and Martin taking revenge in 2024 by just 10 points before leaving Pramac.
“Very difficult,” he said via Aprilia on Facebook. “If I have to name just one… Pecco Bagnaia.”
Jorge Martin names Pecco Bagnaia over Marc Marquez as his toughest opponent
Martin didn’t cross paths with Marquez often early in his career, and their main stretch of competition came in 2024, with Martin on a factory Ducati GP24 and Marquez riding the older GP23. Injuries again disrupted any potential follow-up encounters between the two.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, has been a more consistent presence in Martin’s career. Their first major battle came at the 2021 Valencia Grand Prix, where Bagnaia took the win by less than half a second. While Bagnaia claimed his first MotoGP title in 2022, Martin struggled to find similar form that season.
The rivalry really took off in 2023 and peaked in 2024. That year, both riders finished first or second in six of the 20 races and shared podiums on thirteen occasions, keeping the championship race tight all season long.
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