RiderTua.com – Jorge Martin is eyeing the 2024 MotoGP title after almost winning it in the previous season. This will be a challenge of speed, strategy and luck… where the main rival will once again be Pecco Bagnaia.
MotoGP pre-season testing ended in dissatisfaction for Jorge Martin, who was seventh on the combined timesheets in Qatar, half a second behind Pecco Bagnaia. The 2023 runner-up experienced problems with his Ducati Desmosedici GP24, too much vibration during acceleration, but nothing too serious considering he had not yet had his first race. In the Pramac garage they know what needs to be adjusted to aim for victory and keep pace with their rivals from the official teams, who immediately started well in the winter tests.
Jorge Martin Challenges Pecco Bagnaia
Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia provided quite a tough showdown in MotoGP last season, which only ended at the last round in Valencia. The prediction is that this internal struggle within Ducati will repeat itself in 2024, with a spirit of sportsmanship, friendship and the best will win. The Madrid-born rider still hasn’t resolved his rear tire problem at the Qatar GP and admitted, “I’m still waiting for an explanation from Michelin about what exactly was wrong with my tire in the end.” A change of fate, a sudden decline like it often happens to anyone, but it happened to Jorge at the most inopportune and most decisive moment in the World Championship.
Beat Pecco
Maybe not everyone will remember that Bagnaia and Martin were teammates in the 2015 and 2016 period at the Mahindra Aspar team. Their good relationship started back in the Moto3 days, they even shared the same room, they were very close at that time. Next Pecco moved to VR46 in the middle class and ‘Martinator’ to Gresini, the paths parted although good feelings remained between the two, who also continued to stay in MotoGP. However, without the risk that something will change in the next head-to-head fight for the world title. “Pecco is a champion and I have always respected him a lot. Today he is a three-time world champion and I will do everything I can to beat him.”
In the 2024 season, they will start again with the same position, for last year’s runners-up this will be an opportunity to finally take over the position of the official team. It’s not just a matter of speed, but tension, pressure, mistakes to avoid, strategy within the team. “You have to stay calm, really focused. You can’t make mistakes. And last year I made too many mistakes… Last season I had too many problems, but I was fast every weekend. This is good for your motivation. My goal is to reduce mistakes and, when in doubt, accept second, third, maybe even fifth,” he said.
It’s been a long winter in preparation for spring, facing the long MotoGP championship which will end next November. “It’s a year-round job. We train from January to November… We all sacrifice a lot for our sport. During the summer holidays in July, we probably have another week to lie on the beach,” he concluded.
