Jorge Martín, at the Qatar GP.NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL (EFE)
Jorge Martín has strictly followed his plan and remains dependent on himself to become MotoGP world champion in Valencia next week. With a brilliant victory in the spotlight in the Qatar GP sprint race, the Madrid native ensured the title fight with Pecco Bagnaia reaches the final Grand Prix of the year after taking seven points off the current champion. With his eighth win of the year in the new short race format on Saturday, the Spanish contender showed once again that no rider could beat him in terms of pace and speed this season. This Sunday (6:00 p.m., DAZN) he could even attack again in the long race and take the lead before the final attack.
Martín knew how to overcome a regular Friday and a more modest qualifying than he would have liked. Nervous in free practice and disappointed with his fifth place on the grid, he put his head down and left the frustration behind to unleash his more aggressive driving style, as he had already suggested during his confrontation with the reigning champion in the sprint test this Thursday. “Perhaps I will dare,” he then said. And boy, did he do it. In the first corner, together with the number one and his great rival, who started fourth, he did not hesitate to push the bike and his elbow into him to pursue him inside and overtake him as soon as he started. “On Friday I felt too much pressure and today I decided: ‘Let it be what it has to be,'” he said after the win.
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His heated driving took a bad turn after his good start when he slipped under braking and Bagnaia took the opportunity to regain the initial lead. In addition, Marc Márquez, always a bad customer in close combat, took him a little further away from his desired prey. Luckily for him, the long finish line and the top speed of his Desmosedici allowed him to leave the Honda behind and get back within striking distance of his great rival on the second lap. The man from Madrid didn’t wait his turn again. Back at the limit, he used his bike and his body, overtaking the Italian and touching him slightly at the moment of the greatest climb for both in turn 10. Arrivalderci, the candidate for the championship title, seemed to tell him, who had no choice but to give up.
Martín then unleashed a hellish pace, chasing after the leaders, while Bagnaia was stuck in fifth place, unable to get any more pace from his official Ducati. “It was a disaster for us, but not for others,” said the reigning champion about his lack of sensations with the same tire that had rolled perfectly just before. “It’s a bit strange what I felt today, but sometimes it can happen,” he said of his bad feelings with the rear tire. When asked about his explosive hand-to-hand fight with Martín, he didn’t hesitate: “There are pilots who prefer to fly like that.” “It’s very aggressive and physical, and we touched each other… but I like it when everything is open.”
Already in the fifth round, the Spaniard was only thinking about victory and getting maximum points from the still World Championship leader. The Turin native retains a seven-point lead, but the sporting and mental compass now undoubtedly rests with his rival. Álex Márquez and Luca Marini, the other Ducatis present at the umpteenth festival of the year for the factory in Bologna, couldn’t do much to counter him, so at the end of the race five bikes ended up in the top five places.
The man from Madrid was in the lead from the sixth lap and flew away to prevent Fabio DiGiannantonio, the only one who followed him closely, from taking the victory, marking another coup d’état in this spectacular conclusion to the World Championship represents cup. Marini, author of the pole position, completed the podium. “Today I had confidence,” commented the winner, very happy that he had stayed calm after his poor braking and found himself behind Bagnaia and Márquez in the first corner. “I had to calm down and accept this situation. I managed to find my rhythm, overtake everyone and apply more pressure than DiGiannantonio to win. “I think it was my best sprint win of the year,” he added.
Martín was the driver who best knew how to exploit the explosiveness of the new format. His eight wins are unprecedented and Bagnaia, for example, was only able to win the sprint four times. The short races, where there is less strategy and almost always at full throttle, seem tailor-made for their style, one of the most aggressive in the championship. For now, his rival has managed to hold his own and make the most of Sundays where he was able to keep his distance through better strategies and a more intellectual style.
“Today we had the potential to win and came fifth. “We hope to find what we need to win tomorrow,” said the Italian, visibly annoyed with his team. Even when the tension is at its highest and every mistake can determine the name of the champion, both competitors want to give their best and let themselves go. “I have to have fun riding a bike,” says Martín, defining the key element that makes him a champion. He is clear. This Sunday there will be sparks flying before the grand finale. If he wins, he will continue to rely on himself, regardless of Bagnaia or anyone else.
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