Jorge Martin: MotoGP title fight "will go to Sunday"
“Last season I was always thinking about how I can make history and just focusing on the title."
Jorge Martin claims not obsessing over the MotoGP title has helped put him on the verge of a historic world championship victory this weekend.
The Pramac rider’s race-by-race tactic faces its toughest test in the new Barcelona MotoGP finale, where he or reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia will walk away with the crown.
The odds are stacked in Martin’s favour, with the Spaniard holding a 24-point advantage in his quest to become MotoGP’s first world champion from a satellite team.
But he will need to control the pressure.
“Maybe Pecco can give me advice because he was like me last year!” Martin said on Thursday, referring to the role reversal of a year ago when he was (unsuccessfully) chasing Bagnaia.
“Last season I was always thinking about how I can make history and just focusing on the title. This year I'm not thinking about this. I didn't think about it during all the season.
“I want to focus on what I can control, that is riding the motorbike at my 100% and performing at my 100%. Because I didn't at the end of last season.
“Now I feel in a good moment. I feel strong and feel that I can do a great weekend. So that's it.”
Martin may not have won as many races as Bagnaia or as many as he himself managed last season, but he has taken far more podiums and made fewer mistakes.
“I think the key was all the season. I heard a quote from a fighter who said, ‘I win the championship during training’. And for us, I think it means every race you win the title and in the last round you get the medal.
“For sure now something can happen, but the important thing is the work like we did all season. We tried our best in every race. And now it's time to understand what we need to take that medal home.”
The #89 can wrap up the title 'early' by winning the Saturday Sprint but insists he expects Bagnaia to keep the fight alive until Sunday.
“I think that finally I can race without looking at anyone, just myself. Try to enjoy the weekend, try to be fast and for sure if I can take [win] it on Saturday I will take it,” he said.
“But I think this will go to Sunday and really I accept this. So yeah, try to enjoy it, but try to be competitive. This is the main goal.”
Sunday’s race will be Martin’s last for Pramac and Ducati, having signed to become a factory Aprilia rider in 2025.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
