Jorge Martin downplayed the end of Ducati’s impressive 88-race MotoGP podium streak after the season opener in Thailand. The 2024 world champion rode for Pramac Ducati but finished outside the top three at Buriram, where Aprilia dominated by placing four riders in the top five.
Pedro Acosta, KTM rider and current championship leader, was the only competitor to disrupt Aprilia’s near-perfect RS-GP podium lockout. This marked Ducati’s first miss on a grand prix podium since the 2021 Aragon race.
Challenges Faced by Ducati and Key Competitors’ Performances
Despite the streak ending, Martin noted the strong performance of reigning champion Marc Marquez, who had to retire from fourth place due to wheel rim damage but was projected to finish second behind Marco Bezzecchi prior to the issue.
“Ducati was strong, Marc was super strong at some points,”
Jorge Martin said.
“He had the issue with the tyre, but he was catching Raul [Fernandez] and Pedro, so I think he would be in second position.”
While Buriram has traditionally been advantageous for Ducati—highlighted by their flawless top-eight sweep in the 2024 Sprint—recent difficulties with harder rear tyre compounds, such as those experienced at Mandalika last season, remain a challenge.
Martin’s Outlook on Ducati’s Season and Aprilia’s Rising Competition
Martin emphasized the unique characteristics of the Buriram circuit and expressed confidence that Ducati would continue to perform strongly throughout the season. He also highlighted the benefits Ducati gained from extensive pre-season testing and having multiple bikes on track to support recovery and adaptation.
“This track is quite different to normal tracks, so I still think they will be super-strong all season,”
Martin explained.
“Here, we were also able to make more laps [in the pre-season test], so we were more ready.”
“And for sure, they have more bikes on track [to help them recover].”
At the same time, Martin acknowledged the growing strength of Aprilia as a title contender.
“I think Aprilia is strong and we have our chances to fight for this championship,”
he said.
Current Standings and Ducati’s Key Riders
After the Thai Grand Prix, Martin ranks fourth in the championship, trailing Pedro Acosta by 18 points and Pramac Ducati teammate Marco Bezzecchi by seven. The top Ducati rider at Buriram was VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio, who finished sixth and holds seventh place in the standings, just ahead of Marc Marquez, the Sprint runner-up.
