Автор: ASPPA IMAGES ANO

Martin ‘feared’ he would never win a MotoGP title as he opens up on mental health

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Pramac rider Jorge Martin has revealed he ‘feared’ he would never be able to win a championship in MotoGP at the start of the year as he struggled with his mental health.

The Spaniard said he became scared of losing while heading into his fourth season in the premier class, despite having accepted his championship defeat to factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia in 2023.

But working with his psychologist Xero Gasol helped him overcome his problems and improve on-track performances, which ultimately played an important role in Martin beating Bagnaia to the title in last weekend’s Barcelona finale.

With three grand prix wins, seven sprint successes and 16 podiums in 20 Sunday races, he became the first rider in the MotoGP era to win a title with a satellite team, finishing 10 points clear of the two-time champion.

But while Martin ended the campaign by adding his name to the ‘tower of champions’, things were much tougher for him at the start of the year, as he explained: “I was struggling with my mental health.

“Last season was great, even after being second, I was quite happy. But in general I started to have a lot of fears, I was really scared, like I will never be champion in MotoGP. 

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“So thanks to my coach I improved a lot. I was more focussed on the hope of winning than on the fear of losing. 

“If I lose, ‘okay, I’m not dying. This is life, it’s not ending here’. But I was without hope for winning — not only for me, but for my team, for my family, all the closest [members].”

Martin made several ill-timed errors during his first title assault in 2023, with his crash while leading the Indonesian Grand Prix often being cited as the moment where he lost the championship to Bagnaia.

He also gave away likely victories in Jerez and the Sachsenring in the first part of this year, but came back much stronger after the summer break, even as Bagnaia continued to drop the ball at important stages of the campaign.

Martin says a change in his approach made him much stronger in 2024, as he was living in the present and no longer dwelling on past mistakes.

“The important thing this year was to learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes,” he said.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“It’s like life, you can make mistakes, it’s completely normal, we are human and we make mistakes. 

“The important thing is to take the positives from the mistakes and say okay, ‘I will learn from this and won’t repeat it’. 

“For me the key is living in the present. We never know about the future, the future — who knows [what it holds]? So live in the present, improve from the past and just do your 100%, that’s it.”

Photos from Barcelona test

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Шварцман: Время с Ferrari сделало меня лучшим гонщиком

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Российско-израильский гонщик Роберт Шварцман прокомментировал прекращение сотрудничества с Ferrari, которое подошло к концу вместе с сезоном чемпионата мира по гонкам на выносливость FIA WEC.

«Это была такая привилегия работать с некоторыми из самых талантливых и ярких людей в гонках. Я знаю, что время, проведённое с командой, сделало меня лучшим гонщиком. Grazie mille всем tifosi, которые всегда невероятно поддерживали меня на протяжении многих лет, и, наконец, но не в последнюю очередь, всем в команде, которые верили в меня, подбадривали меня и помогали мне на этом пути — я действительно благодарен за это!», — отметил Роберт Шварцман.

Напомним, Роберт Шварцман в 2025 году дебютирует в американской формульной серии IndyCar — 25-летний уроженец Санкт-Петербурга подписал контракт с командой Prema.



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Marquez felt «comfortable from the beginning» on first day with factory Ducati

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Marc Marquez says he felt «very comfortable and very calm» on his first day with the works Ducati team, describing it as the best outfit in present-day MotoGP.

Having signed a two-year contract with the Italian factory, Marquez got his first taste of the Ducati GP25 in the official test at Barcelona on Tuesday.

Completing a total of 49 laps, including some on the championship-winning GP24, Marquez ended up fourth on the timesheets after posting a time of 1m39.454s late in the seven-hour session.

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The test was crucial for his preparation as it not only allowed him to acclimate with a development version of the bike that he would be racing in 2025, but also learn to work with new engineers at the factory Ducati team after a year with Gresini’s year-old GP23.

Summing up his thoughts, the six-time champion said: «I made a risky bet a year ago [leaving Honda] and now it was time to finish it off in the factory team. It [getting the Ducati deal] was the best news, and that has been a bit of the idea of the plan.

«The feelings with the team have been good, I felt comfortable from the beginning, very calm.

«The fact that I didn’t change factories or bikes and met a lot of engineers has made me feel comfortable. I’ve had that peace of mind all day.»

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Marquez said he could immediately notice a difference between Ducati and its satellite squad Gresini, as he was now having to follow a more detailed run plan.

«Today was to go back to work a bit like a factory does, with a very strict plan, with everything established and knowing what you have to test and that’s where the rider is 100% available to work for the factory to give the best feedback,» he explained.

Marquez is reserving his judgement on whether there is a big difference between the performance of the title-winning 2023 bike and the new GP25 prototype that is being developed for the 2025 season.

«I have had a jump from ‘23 to ‘25, it is a new bike and the first outing on the track always requires more time to get everything ready,” he said.

“I’ve jumped to ‘24 twice, there are some differences. I think the ‘25 is more competitive, but we have to see it.»

Tuesday also marked the first day Marquez worked directly under Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi, who has always had a soft spot for the Spaniard.

Marquez and Tardozzi represented rival manufacturers in MotoGP during the former’s time at Honda, when he defeated then-Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso to the 2019 title.

«Davide is more in the sporting part and today we focused on technical issues, but without a doubt there are people I have known for more than 10 years and with whom I have always had a good relationship, before as rivals and now in the same team,» he said.

«It doesn’t change, we have a personal relationship. With the people inside the box very comfortable, very precise and 90% of the starts already testing the 2025 bike.»



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Карун Чандок рассказал, в чём Хэмилтон точно слабее Леклера

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Бывший гонщик Формулы 1 Карун Чандок уверен, что Льюис Хэмилтон способен завоевать восьмой чемпионский титул.

«Льюис так же быстр, как Шарль на одном круге? Я так не думаю, потому что Шарль – лучший квалификационный пилот в Формуле 1 и никто не опередит его по этому показателю. Способен ли Льюис выиграть чемпионат мира на правильной машине? Безусловно. Есть достаточно доказательств, что он по-прежнему достаточно быстр.

Я думаю, что Льюис обеспокоен своим квалификационным темпом в этом сезоне. Он звучал довольно подавленно в последнее время, говоря: «Квалификация была ужасной, я забыл, как это делать». Это звучит странно для парня, который статистически является самым успешным квалификационным пилотом в истории.

Я думаю, что это давит на него. Но, возможно, ему просто нужен новый вызов. У него было три года, когда у него не было возможности бороться за поул», – сказал Чандхок The Independent.



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Wolff says Hamilton «shelf-life» comments «taken out of context»

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Mercedes Formula 1 team principal Toto Wolff has claimed suggestions he is «happy» that Lewis Hamilton is leaving the team have taken his comments «out of context».

Hamilton is entering his last three races in Mercedes colours before his switch to Ferrari for next year, having won six F1 drivers’ titles in his time with the Brackley-based outfit that he joined in 2013.

It left Mercedes with a seat to fill alongside George Russell, with teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli selected to make the step up from Formula 2.

In the new Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane book, Wolff said that Hamilton’s decision to leave was a positive as «it avoids the moment where we need to tell the sport’s most iconic driver that we want to stop».

“There’s a reason why we only signed a one-plus-one-year contract,” he added.

“We’re in a sport where cognitive sharpness is extremely important, and I believe everyone has a shelf life.»

That comment sparked media coverage and social media debate but speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, Wolff clarified: «You know that was taken a little bit out of context.

“What I was referring to was that all of us age, whether it is in a car, on a pitch, or as a manager or entrepreneur.

Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, in the garage

Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, in the garage

Photo by: Mark Sutton

“And that is what I am trying to do with myself; understand, ‘Am I going from great to good?’ Because good is not in Formula 1 anymore.

“Now contrary to my own self-assessment, I think we see with Lewis that he’s very much there when the car is right. And we haven’t been able to give him that car to perform his best, and that is a frustration that we share equally in the team, and for himself.

“But he’s very sharp. He’s different to when he was a 20-year-old, that’s certainly clear. But his experience and his race craft is tremendous.”

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Hamilton has won two races in his Mercedes swansong year, ending a drought dating back to the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with an emotional victory at the British GP.

The 39-year-old also won the Belgian GP after team-mate George Russell, who crossed the finish line first, was disqualified for running underweight.

Russell is two points ahead of Hamilton heading into this weekend’s Las Vegas GP, with Mercedes shifting its attentions to 2025 having accepted it is unlikely to improve on fourth in the constructors’ standings.



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Стелла ответил, должен ли Норрис изменить свой стиль пилотирования

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Руководитель McLaren Андреа Стелла ответил на вопрос, должен ли Ландо Норрис изменить свой стиль пилотирования и стать более агрессивным, когда дело доходит до борьбы с Максом Ферстаппеном.

«Мы пытались воспользоваться правом пересмотра и как-то исправить ту ситуацию, которая произошла в Остине. Этого не произошло. Мы движемся дальше, – цитирует Стеллу RN365. – Я думаю, с точки зрения Ландо, именно так и должны проходить гонки. Он отражает в своем подходе к гонкам наши собственные ценности. Мы гоняем честно, правильно и по-спортивному.

И затем, в конечном счёте, в таких близких сражениях есть третья сторона – стюарды. Мы доверяем стюардам. Я думаю, в Мексике система сработала очень хорошо и справедливо».



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Mir on Honda's lack of new parts in Barcelona MotoGP test: "How can I not be angry?"

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Joan Mir admitted that he was «angry» with Honda after Tuesday’s MotoGP test in Barcelona, as the Japanese manufacturer failed to bring any new upgrades to the beleaguered RC213V.With Honda ending the season at the bottom of the manufacturers’ championship and 49 points behind its nearest rival Yamaha, expectations were high from HRC during the all-important end-of-season test in Spain.But while …Keep reading



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How “a commitment to disruption” has bonded Red Bull and Castore

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Max Verstappen. Ben Stokes. Andy Murray. Adam Peaty. The all-conquering 2023/24 Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen. Just some of the top names who adorn sportswear produced by Castore – a company born on Merseyside in 2015.

The brothers behind the label, Tom and Phil Beahon took jobs in finance to fund their project, learning as they went by conducting market research while planning to take on the established order of athletic clothing manufacturers.

Earlier this year, Castore struck the largest apparel partnership in Formula 1 history as it extended its agreement with reigning champions Red Bull for a deal reported to be worth more than $200million, while also holding a similar position with rivals McLaren.

“I love the saying: ‘You don’t have to be a Harvard student. You’ve just got to have the balls to do it’ and it is so true. That audacity, that big vision,” Tom tells Autosport.

“People, in my experience, whether you’re meeting Christian Horner, whether you’re meeting the CEO of England Cricket, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Prime Ministers.

“People respect ambition. If you’re passionate and you’re ambitious, people buy into that.

“It was my dream to see elite athletes wearing Castore in competition. But it’s all built around performance and our story about hard work and taking a risk and trying to compete with the big boys is undoubtedly part of Castore’s DNA of ‘better never stops’.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Tom, who previously played football in the youth set-up at Tranmere Rovers, likens Castore’s arrival on the scene to that of Red Bull itself. The upstarts entered the F1 paddock looking to shake things up and to do things differently – and in that it certainly succeeded.

“You’re looking for partners that share your values and that means different things to different people,” he added.

“So of course, with someone like Red Bull Racing, the fact that they’ve had the success that they’ve had – that is unbelievable. We didn’t do the partnership with the guys expecting that to happen, the fact that it has, is an amazing bonus.

“But what you’re looking at is the ambition, the commitment to innovation, the commitment to disruption, that is what makes the partnership a success. How that plays out on track or on the pitch, you’re never going to predict perfectly.

“Logically, what Red Bull did right at the beginning shouldn’t have been achievable, because there’s all of these big, established status quo people that on paper have got all of these advantages; whether it’s in infrastructure or experience or whatever else.

“What Dietrich Mateschitz [Red Bull founder] said was, ‘We’re going to mix up the status quo, we’re going to do it differently and why can’t we win?’ It was a very similar mindset to the one we had, which was — everything on paper says that Castore shouldn’t be able to challenge Nike and Adidas. But we believe that we can and we’re going to think differently.

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates14th November 2010.Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer, Red Bull Racing, and Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, and Dietrich Mateschitz, CEO Red Bull, celebrate victory. Portrait. World Charles Coates/LAT Photographic ref: Digital Image DX5J5597

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates14th November 2010.Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer, Red Bull Racing, and Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, and Dietrich Mateschitz, CEO Red Bull, celebrate victory. Portrait. World Charles Coates/LAT Photographic ref: Digital Image DX5J5597

“We’re not going to copy and paste what they do; we are going to try and disrupt and innovate and be creative. If you’ve got that mindset and you refuse to give up and you’re super passionate, you can achieve some pretty exciting things.”

Such an outlook has also held the Beahon brothers in good stead during the inevitable bad times that come with starting a business.

At the start of 2024, a deal with Aston Villa was cut short after players from both the men’s and women’s teams complained about the Castore-designed kit, while rumours suggest the Leverkusen contract will end prematurely at the culmination of the current football season.

With former tennis ace Murray and the Issa brothers among its shareholders, Castore reported a pre-tax loss of almost £29m for the year ending February 2024, despite sales improving.

“There’s going to be mistakes, there’s going to be setbacks,” Tom adds. «That’s part of the journey. Embrace it.

“We’ll go further by having that mindset than we ever will by trying to copy someone else or being cautious.

“The two things, more than anything else, that you need are passion, because it’s going to be so hard, there’ll be so many setbacks and challenges.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

“The only thing that keeps you going throughout all of those hardships — factories refuse to work with you because you’re not big enough, banks don’t want to lend you any money… The only thing that keeps you going is passion.

“That is the number one characteristic that you need to be successful. Then the second one is resilience.

“You have to have this ability to keep working hard, to keep going, to have that resilience, no matter how difficult it gets.

“They are always the two big things that I cite, but the third one, and again, I genuinely do believe there’s a lot of parallels with Red Bull Racing in this — you have to dream big, you have to be audacious. You have to believe when no one else believes.”

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Култхард: Если вы не признаёте талант Ферстаппена, у вас проблемы

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Бывший гонщик Формулы 1 Дэвид Култхард высказался о впечатляющем выступлении Макса Ферстаппена в Бразилии, несмотря на собственную критику в адрес голландца после этапов в США и Мексике.

«Я просто фанат Формулы 1 и у меня есть небольшой опыт пилотирования, – сказал Култхард PlanetF1. – Я немного побеждал и много проигрывал, и я наблюдал за некоторыми блестящими гонщиками за время своей карьеры.

Но меня поражает то, что, если кому-то Макс не нравится как человек, это затмевает их суждение о фактах. Факты таковы, что этот парень гениален, он блестяще быстр. Да, он противоречив, но Сенна и Шумахер тоже были противоречивыми.

Я не уверен, что когда-либо в Формуле 1 был очень успешный человек, который не попадал в спорные ситуации. Его выступление в Бразилии было уроком для всех других гонщиков. Он был на другом уровне. Так что, если кто-то не может признать это и сказать: «Это было блестяще», то у них проблемы с предубеждениями».



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