Marco Melandri believes Jorge Martin will have a lot to prove this weekend as he goes up against his teammate, Marco Bezzecchi.
MotoGP heads back to Brazil for the first time since 2004, when Makoto Tamada took the win for Camel Honda.
The paddock now heads to the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna (Goiânia) for round two of the 2026 season, following Marco Bezzecchi’s win in the opening race at the Thailand Grand Prix.
This could be an early test for Aprilia Racing, with Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin set to face off again after Martin finished inside the top five in Thailand.
Martin Faces Early Season Test to Keep Pace with Bezzecchi
Marco Melandri, who was on the grid the last time MotoGP visited Brazil, spoke on Chiacchiere da Box about what this weekend could mean for Jorge Martin.
The Italian said that this race is an early test of whether Martin can keep pace with Bezzecchi, especially given Martin’s history of adapting quickly to new tracks.
Melandri said: “There’s a lot riding on this race, and in my view Martin is really counting on it because he knows he’s particularly strong on new tracks”.
“So, this could be, let’s say, the litmus test of the season, where we’ll see whether Martin has what it takes to keep up with Bezzecchi or whether he’ll actually be able to match him.”
Melandri shares his Brazilian GP podium picks
During the same appearance, Melandri was also asked to share his prediction for the Brazilian Grand Prix podium.
The Italian went with Marc Marquez as his pick to win, even though he doesn’t think Marquez is still the quickest in the field. He has Bezzecchi taking second and Pedro Acosta rounding out the top three.
Melandri said: “MotoGP in Brazil – I’d say Marquez, because he’s the one who adapts best of all to new tracks, even though the reality is they’ll be on the same tyres as in Thailand, so the Ducati isn’t exactly the fastest or the favourite.
“But when it comes to learning a new track and adapting, he’s number one. Still, I expect Bezzecchi to put up a good fight. I reckon Marquez will win, but Bezzecchi will make him work for it. And keep an eye on Acosta; in my opinion, those three have been the closest of the lot for a while now.”
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