The Spaniard, who was beaten by Bagnaia in the premier class championship sprint, analyzes the season: “Too much tension between Thailand and Qatar, I was obsessed with winning.” He also looks at the season finale: “The crash in Indonesia still hurts”
It can be said that the beginning and end of 2023 Jorge Martin In MotoGP We have some analogies. TO Valenciahow to Portimaothe Spaniard had an excellent sprint race, only to have an accident Marc Marquez in the long race. The two maneuvers and the drivers’ responsibilities are different, as is their path between the mentioned GPs. A special year, especially for the driver Pramacwho lost the derby Ducati against Francesco Bagnaia only in the last round. Jorge’s thoughts are already set on 2024, when, however, he could also face Marquez, his new teammate.
Appreciation
—
The accident in Valencia between the two Spaniards ended the World Championship discussion for Martin and the last race in Honda for Marquez. The Ducati flag bearer revealed an anecdote during the broadcast El Hormiguero: “When I met Marc after the race, I was surprised. He told me not to worry, that he would do the same thing if he fought for the world championship. I had a clear idea: all or nothing, victory or fall. But.” I admit that I don’t know how I would have reacted if they had done something like that to me. And then Martin adds: “Marc is the best in history. I have a good relationship with him.” However, one cannot speak of real friendship: “The only friend in MotoGP is Alex Espargaro. We have an almost brotherly relationship. He has taken great care of me since I was 16. I respect him a lot, even on the track.”
Regret
—
Martin also takes stock of 2023: “It was a complicated year. I didn’t start as I expected, but then I gained confidence and the victories came. Title? I didn’t lose the championship in the last race. Many.” Something happened this year. It was a very long journey. I had set my sights on the top three and achieved my goal.” But there is one race that still haunts Jorge: “It hurts me to think back to the GP in Indonesia. I was three seconds ahead and with that result I would definitely have won the world championship. I felt so superior at that moment, I wanted to ‘humiliate’ my rivals by making me make mistakes. I learned that you can win the race by a second or two tenths, the points are equal.”
Voltage
—
As he matured, Martin discovered a weakness that he needed to work on: “I won 13 races, but when I saw something was wrong, I got too nervous. Being angry with your team is negative, it’s my family.” And when it comes to tension, Jorge mentions a special moment: “The worst moment happened between Thailand and Qatar. I was obsessed with winning and very angry with my team. I realized I had the wrong attitude.” A lesson to be learned in 2024.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
