Chaos and Critters: Jorge Martin Battles Stress and Wildlife at Australian MotoGP Practice

Jorge Martin describes Australia's MotoGP practice as "chaotic" due to stress

Martin admitted feeling a bit anxious, believing that rain might be on the way.

Jorge Martin, who currently leads the MotoGP championship, expressed feeling "somewhat anxious" over the possibility of not making it to Q2 during the Australian Grand Prix, following what he described as a "disorderly" practice session.

The Pramac rider is currently at the top of the rankings, holding a 10-point advantage over Francesco Bagnaia as they approach the 17th round of the season this weekend.

The situation began poorly when an early accident at Turn 4 during Friday's sole practice session set him at a disadvantage.

Martin explained that he lacked an alternative bike to ride since it was configured for rainy conditions. Upon his return to the track in an attempt to secure a lap time before the anticipated rain, the session was halted with a red flag.

He finished with the fourth-fastest time, securing his place in Q2. However, he confessed that the obstacles he faced, along with the looming threat of rain, made him feel "a bit stressed."

"Undoubtedly, the beginning of the practice session was disorganized," he commented.

"I attempted to steer clear of Fabio Quartararo, but ended up crashing. After that, things became quite challenging."

"I wasn't able to use the second bike because it was configured for wet conditions. They managed to fix the bike, but I was quite anxious since I expected rain to start soon."

"Gradually, I started gaining confidence, and eventually, I felt quick. I appreciate my team for their excellent work, but we need to improve further tomorrow."

"When I had an opportunity to leave following the crash, I went onto the green track during the first lap, but the second lap was stopped with a red flag."

"I initially believed I wouldn't have any opportunity because I anticipated rain. I thought to myself, 'I've made a major error.' However, in the end, I managed to complete more laps and immediately lead the pack."

Riders this weekend have three choices for rear tires because of the newly laid asphalt at Phillip Island. Due to limited track time on Friday and an unpredictable weather forecast for practice sessions, Martin was unable to gather significant data from extended runs.

"It wasn't easy," he mentioned.

"I was going as fast as possible, thinking rain might arrive soon. After the crash, I attempted to keep closer to the track to make up for the lost time."

"I didn't fully grasp the tire management today, but we'll definitely look into it more tomorrow."

During practice, Martin was forced to halt a lap when a hare unexpectedly dashed onto the track ahead of him.

While humorously suggesting that MotoGP should reconsider giving access to wildlife, he emphasized more earnestly that if a similar incident were to occur during a race, it could pose a significant problem.

"Absolutely, Phillip Island is home to a diverse array of wildlife," he mentioned.

"They must stop allowing animals on the track, as it could become a significant issue if this occurs during the race."

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