Martin doubted whether he could ride a MotoGP bike again after Portimao accident
Following his huge free practice crash at Portimao earlier this year, rookie sensation Jorge Martin was unsure whether he would ever ride a MotoGP bike again.
Since that FP3 fall, Martin has gone on to claim back-to-back poles, podiums and a maiden win in Austria.
But in the initial aftermath of his accident, an accident which saw him break his scaphoid, the first metacarpal of his right hand and foot, and several other fractures, Martin was left with serious doubts about his premier class future.
"I think it’s been the best and the worst year of my life. I think this year I’ve lived more than in my whole life," said Martin when discussing his year as a whole.
"The injury almost changed my life because I thought I wouldn’t be on a MotoGP bike again. Then making back-to-back podiums, back-to-back poles is just unbelievable. Thanks to the [Ducati] bike I am living a dream and it gives me everything.
"This first season was a success because I could have a really great balance with the bike, just a really great feeling since the beginning even though I thought it would be more difficult for me to get used to the Ducati because in the past other rookies were struggling a little bit.
"But the bike has helped me because my style is similar so I didn’t need to change a lot of things. That’s why I’m really competitive.”
"To make a podium as a rookie in just the second race is amazing, but then I had this big injury and I didn’t expect to be again on the podium this season."
Ahead of his return to Portimao, Martin also alluded to the crash changing his approach to a race weekend for the better: "Since Portimao I learned a lot and also I changed my way of looking at the races.
"When I arrive at a race, a Friday, I’m already much more calm and then I think where to improve, where to risk because I don’t want to make the same mistake."
While Martin looked on course for an easy rookie of the year award due to his stellar run of results following the summer break.
Recent crashes at Misano, along with Enea Bastianini’s incredible form has instead seen the Italian jump five points clear of Martin with two rounds to go.
