MotoGP | Martin: “I expected Marquez and Bastianini to be closer”

Jorge Martin returned this weekend to the track where just a fortnight ago he made one of the most serious mistakes of this season. However, this did not put his leadership in doubt and today, in Friday’s free practice, he reaffirmed his speed and competitiveness, taking the second time just 198 thousandths from the leader of the day Pecco Bagnaia.

In a Misano that welcomed MotoGP with a wet track but which gradually dried out over the course of the day, the Pramac rider was able to show the best of himself in conditions that had become optimal. Only a crash “tarnished” the opening day of the weekend, but fortunately there were no consequences for the Spaniard: “I crashed, but I did exactly as I did on the previous lap, with the same speed and the same type of braking. So I think it was because I was following Franco Morbidelli. Maybe this change affected the balance of the bike”.

Despite the crash, a situation that several riders encountered today, Martin is more than satisfied with the speed and the sensations of this Friday in Romagna: “The sensations are excellent. I improved my time compared to a fortnight ago. My goal for the test was to improve my lap performance and I succeeded. I worked very well despite the crash; I have a great pace. The important thing is that we were able to apply everything we learned in the tests”.

“For now, Pecco and I are in front. I expected Marc and Enea to be closer, but we’ll see tomorrow,” Martin said, confirming that he and Bagnaia are the two riders who make the difference. “Now we can be fast, but the important thing is to be fast in qualifying and in the race. At the moment, Pecco and I are a step forward and I didn’t expect that. I thought Enea and Marc would be closer, like in the tests, but the conditions seemed a bit strange.”