Jorge Martin Reflects on a “Painful” Motegi Sprint, Vows to Bounce Back in Grand Prix Amid Championship Battle

MotoGP front-runner Jorge Martin expresses regret over the challenging Motegi sprint

"There was potential for a better outcome…"

Jorge Martin expressed that his qualifying crash, which resulted in him starting 11th for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, caused a challenging and "painful" race where he finished fourth.

During the final moments of the Q2 session on Saturday morning at Motegi, the Pramac competitor lost control of his GP24 Ducati, resulting in a crash that relegated him to starting from the fourth row on the grid.

In the race, he managed to secure a fourth-place finish, however, his main competitor for the title, Francesco Bagnaia, claimed victory and reduced Martin's lead in the championship from 21 points to just 15 before the grand prix on Sunday.

During the uncertain circumstances of the sprint, Martin acknowledges that he was "having difficulty gaining some confidence."

"Definitely, it's a positive outcome," he conveyed to Motogp.com.

"I'm pleased with the outcome, yet it could have been significantly improved had I not slipped up during the qualifying round."

"It's somewhat disheartening, as I believe we are capable of achieving somewhat more."

"Regardless, my spirits are high as I feel assured about what tomorrow holds."

"The race has a significantly longer duration, which leads me to believe that I stand a good chance of possibly contending for a spot on the podium."

"Today, amidst a few raindrops, I found myself battling to muster up some confidence."

"Following Pedro [Acosta's] accident, I realized I was overdoing it. Therefore, my aim for tomorrow is to enhance my competitiveness and focus on refining those specific areas for better performance."

Martin mentions he avoided taking significant chances during the sprint, especially because of the intermittent rain, due to his position in the championship standings.

"He described Saturday's conditions in Japan as extremely challenging."

"Just apply pressure, and when raindrops appear, make an effort to adjust your stance, aiming to navigate as if on a wet surface."

"However, using slick tires comes with its challenges. Certainly, there are riders who don't have much at stake, so they're willing to take greater risks."

"However, competitors like Pecco and myself, who are contending for the championship, must minimize risks and aim to avoid crashing."

Martin faced challenges finding his rhythm on the GP24 during Friday's sessions, yet maintained a competitive speed. With the grand prix on the horizon, he mentioned that the sprint race provided insights into areas for potential improvement.

"Actually, my confidence has grown since the sprint began," he expressed.

"I noticed a few areas where I can enhance my performance for the next day, and I believe we stand a chance to contend for a podium position."

"We're determined to pursue it. I believe we can almost match Pecco's pace by tomorrow. The key will be to replicate our initial performance, and from there, aim to achieve a favorable outcome."

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