Jorge Martin Praises Speed at Indonesian GP Despite Aero Concerns

Jorge Martin is using a different aerodynamic setup compared to Pecco Bagnaia, but he has noticed a possible issue with it.

MotoGP championship frontrunner Jorge Martin expressed his admiration for his own speed during the Friday practice sessions at the 2024 Indonesian Grand Prix.

The Pramac rider finished the day with the second-fastest time, missing Enea Bastianini’s new lap record by only 0.040 seconds. He also surpassed the previous track record with his time of 1 minute 29.670 seconds.

Martin, currently holding a 24-point lead in the championship, and Bastianini seem to have an edge over their competitors in terms of long run pace, a performance that has notably impressed the Pramac rider.

"The day went very well," he mentioned to the press, including Crash.net, at Mandalika.

"I’m extremely pleased. Right from the initial run, I showed good speed, and I maintained that speed throughout the day."

"So, yes, I'm quite pleased. I think I might have lost a bit of time during the time attack."

“However, during the second phase, there was significant traffic, which might have hindered my ability to improve.”

"However, I'm truly amazed by the speed at which we're progressing. Additionally, it appears that Enea is currently performing well. We'll have to see what happens tomorrow."

Martin believes there is room for improvement in his performance during qualifying in "two corners," but he feels his pace is "coming very naturally."

"There isn't one specific area," he mentioned when questioned about where he could enhance his performance on the track.

"I feel confident. There are two turns where I encountered some problems during the time attack, but I think I can improve on them tomorrow."

"I had a great time riding here; I truly enjoy it and it feels very natural. I'm very pleased."

Martin identifies a problem with the aerodynamics. This weekend, both Martin and Bastianini are using aerodynamic components on their Ducatis that Francesco Bagnaia is not.

The Spanish rider thinks the update improves corner-entry performance on the GP24 but reduces the bike's turning ability.

"I enjoy it. It seems to be getting slightly worse, but perhaps what I'm sensing is that I can approach the corners more quickly and maintain higher speed through them," he observed.

“Therefore, it's certainly not a matter of being better or worse – it's simply distinct.

In Misano, I thought things were going well and I didn't want to keep switching back and forth. So, I decided, 'Alright, we'll stick with it and not return to the old way.'

"It doesn't make me feel any different, but I can enter the corners at a higher speed."

"At that point, I fight to bring it to a halt, particularly with the final application of brakes. It appears that the front end becomes less stable compared to the other fairing."

“However, when it comes to speed, it’s possibly slightly quicker. That’s the reason I continue to use it. It’s not about the sensation; it’s about the timing.”

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