Jorge Martin: Pecco Bagnaia surpassed Casey Stoner, so where does this position me?
"In terms of riding I have nothing to envy to riders from another era.”
Jorge Martin has admitted that he wished a legend, such as Casey Stoner, was involved in his MotoGP title battle.
Martin edged Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez to the 2024 premier class championship.
He insists the quality of the opposition is key to how iconic his achievement will be remembered as.
“Obviously I would have liked to play for a world championship against the greatest, against Valentino Rossi, against Marc Marquez, who is already on track,” Martin told AS.
“For example against Stoner, against many of those that I have lived through at the time when I was a child and I watched motorcycles from home.
“That was where I wanted to see myself and now I am in that position.
“But in the end these are times, now there's Pecco and he's the one I've had to beat. And then there's Marquez, who's the one I've had to beat.
“So, I consider that Marquez is the best in history along with Valentino, and Pecco is entering that group.
“With the results he's doing, for me he's already surpassed Stoner, for example.
“And I have beaten Pecco, so where does this position me?
“Nor is it to brag. I have my feet on the ground, I know that I still have a lot to do, but it is clear that I consider myself at a sporting level at their level.
“The value of a championship is given to you by your rivals. So, if the rivals are good, the championship will have more value and if they are not so good, then it will not.
“I think in the era we're in, with Marquez, Pecco... right now the level is very high. The value of this championship is very high.
“But then, at the level of marketing or at the level of what Valentino moved, it will surely be almost impossible to reach those numbers, of audiences or sales, but in the end I can't control that.
“I know that in terms of riding I have nothing to envy to riders from another era.”
Stoner won two MotoGP titles, in 2007 with Ducati and in 2011 with Honda.
His title with Ducati preceded 15 years of hurt for the manufacturer, before Bagnaia won in 2022.
Bagnaia’s consecutive titles meant he drew level with Stoner’s tally.
Rossi has nine world titles overall, and Marquez dreams of levelling that total this season.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
