Should MotoGP reconsider its emphasis on sprint races?
«When you win 10 grands prix and you are still 24 points behind, something is wrong.» Complaints about a format by a competitor who has failed to master that format must always be read with due caution. They are to be expected. But Francesco Bagnaia may just have a point when it comes to the […]
Martin not focused on playing the points game despite MotoGP title advantage
Jorge Martin says he has no designs on playing the points game as he chases his first MotoGP world title despite the possibility of doing so without winning another race this season. The Pramac Ducati rider scored a small but significant success with his run to second place in the Thailand Grand Prix sprint race […]
Wins won’t be enough to defend MotoGP title now against Martin
Francesco Bagnaia aired his frustration at suffering a slight but important loss to MotoGP title rival Jorge Martin with his run to third place in the Thailand Grand Prix sprint race. Though the race itself went the way of Enea Bastianini, Bagnaia’s failure to defend against Martin for second place sees his rival ease his […]
How Martin is ‘playing’ Bagnaia in MotoGP championship run-in
Francesco Bagnaia’s face in the post-race press conference at Phillip Island on Sunday, after finishing third in MotoGP’s Australian Grand Prix, was the best imaginable projection of the 10 seconds that separated him from the victorious Marc Marquez and runner-up Jorge Martin. Reigning two-time champion Bagnaia’s gesture was one of concern, a logical reaction considering […]
Ducati halts GP24 bike development amid Martin, Bagnaia MotoGP title fight
Ducati has decided to halt development of its 2024 MotoGP bike as the title battle between Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia enters the final phase. With four events to go in the championship and 10 points separating Martin and Bagnaia in the standings, Ducati has halted the development of the GP24 so that the pair […]
Martin to copy Marquez’s style after riding «worse than a rookie” in sprint
Jorge Martin claims he was riding “worse than a rookie” on his way to fourth place in the sprint at Motegi on Saturday, but the Pramac Ducati star says he knows how to improve after following Marc Marquez for most of the race. World championship leader Martin has struggled in Japan this weekend and only […]
Martin searches for bike feel, warns ‘24 laps like this will be very difficult’
MotoGP championship leader Jorge Martin says he will need to make an extra step forward tomorrow to challenge for Japanese Grand Prix honours on Sunday. Despite posting the third-fastest time in second practice and thus comfortably making it into the Q2 battle for pole position tomorrow, Martin said he wasn’t feeling happy aboard his Pramac […]
The 2023 “nightmare” Martin is avoiding as MotoGP title pressure cranks up
Jorge Martin says working on his mental strength is aiding his MotoGP world title fight after suffering “a nightmare” during last year’s world championship tussle over the flyaway rounds. The Pramac Ducati rider’s MotoGP standings lead may have been trimmed by three points to 21 points over the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend by Francesco Bagnaia, […]
Martin glad to dispel Mandalika ”ghosts” with Indonesia MotoGP win
MotoGP points leader Jorge Martin admits he is relieved to have put the “ghosts” of his Mandalika mistakes to rest after completing a lights-to-flag victory in the Indonesian Grand Prix. The Pramac Ducati rider came into Sunday’s full-length encounter feeling the pressure after failing to score in Saturday’s sprint race. Martin finished down in tenth […]