Jorge Martin Reflects on ‘Painful’ Motegi Sprint as Bagnaia Closes Championship Gap

MotoGP championship frontrunner Jorge Martin expresses regret over the "challenging" sprint at Motegi, stating, "The outcome had the potential to be significantly improved…"

Jorge Martin described the qualifying accident that resulted in him starting 11th for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix as causing a challenging sprint race, where he finished in fourth place.

During the final moments of Q2 on Saturday morning at Motegi, the Pramac rider lost control of his GP24 Ducati and crashed, resulting in a starting position on the fourth row of the grid.

During the sprint, he managed to secure a fourth-place finish, while his main competitor for the title, Francesco Bagnaia, claimed victory. As a result, Martin's lead in the championship was reduced from 21 points to 15 before the grand prix on Sunday.

During the uncertain circumstances of the sprint, Martin conceded that he found it difficult to build confidence.

"Absolutely, it's a positive outcome," he mentioned to Motogp.com.

"I'm pleased with the outcome, though it might have been significantly improved if I hadn't made an error during the qualifying stage."

"It’s somewhat disappointing, as I believe we have the capability to achieve greater things."

"Regardless, I feel content because I am optimistic about what tomorrow holds."

"It's a significantly longer race, which I believe gives me the chance to possibly compete for a podium finish."

Earlier today, a few raindrops made it difficult for me to feel confident.

"Following Pedro Acosta's accident, I found myself being overly aggressive. Tomorrow, I aim to be more competitive and focus on refining those aspects to enhance my performance."

Martin mentioned that due to his position in the championship, he avoided taking significant risks during the sprint, especially with the occasional rain showers.

"The conditions on Saturday in Japan were very challenging," he commented.

"When you press forward and notice raindrops, adjust your stance to avoid leaning the same way, and try to ride as if on a wet surface."

"However, using slick tires isn't simple. Some riders, who don't have much at stake, tend to take greater risks."

"However, riders such as Pecco and myself are in contention for the championship, which means we must minimize risks and avoid crashing."

On Friday, Martin found it challenging to feel at ease on his GP24, though he maintained a strong race pace. As he anticipates the grand prix, he notes that the sprint race helped him identify areas for improvement.

He stated that he feels more self-assured now compared to how he did prior to the sprint.

"I noticed areas where I can make improvements for tomorrow, and I believe we have the potential to compete for a podium position."

"We're going to give it a shot. I believe we can stay near Pecco tomorrow. The key is to see if we can make a similar start, and from there, we'll work on achieving a strong outcome."

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