Jorge Martin searching for ‘consistency to put me among the favourites’
A strong test at Sepang was followed up by a difficult two-day outing in Qatar, as Jorge Martin struggled to match other Ducati riders.
Jorge Martin is expected to sustain another serious MotoGP title challenge to Francesco Bagnaia in 2024, but getting over small issues such as chattering and throttle response will be key.
Martin was not as comfortable as the likes of Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini at Lusail, while Ducati newcomer Marc Marquez also looked more comfortable.
Speaking to DAZN after the test in Qatar, an honest Martin said: “There’s something that isn’t working well. I can’t ride as I would like to and when I accelerate it creates a lot of chattering.
“This is also why the mini-race test was a disaster. I tried to push but the pace wasnt there and I was still very far from Bagnaia.
“I also fell when entering turn 14. We have to review when the throttle is opened because the vibrations cause damage to the tyres.
“At the moment, nothing works in this regard. I trust there will be progress in terms of the race.”
Ducati’s star-studded line-up means they could have race winners come from every team, if not every bike in 2024.
That means competition will be fiercer than ever and Martin knows consistency will be key to putting himself in position to challenge for the title.
“In general I’m calm,” added Martin ahead of this weekend’s season-opener. “Besides the setback I managed to keep a good pace with worn tyres.
“Hopefully it can be fixed so that we can be more consistent in the GPs.
“Consistency at the beginning of the season could put me among the favourties for the title.”
