Jorge Martin, 3rd in Pre-Qualifying and leader of the MotoGP World Championship, highlights the tire issue: “It’s important to understand well”
The man to beat, especially after the absolute dominance he showed in Mandalika. Jorge Martin is in great shape and ready to take the final step to claim his first MotoGP World Championship title, which Spain hasn’t seen since Joan Mir in 2020.
Speaking to Sky Sport after Pre-Qualifying, Martin said: “The weather’s a bit strange, but everything’s fine. It’s hot… The KTMs are super strong here, they’re in great shape, not only them but also all the other Ducatis. Many are doing well on a single lap, but in race pace, I don’t see many strong riders: I’m struggling a bit, especially with the front. We need to sort it out, not so much for tomorrow when rain is expected, but for Sunday.”
“Tires? Today was the only day to work on them, so like many others, I focused on the softs. After three laps, there’s a drop-off with that compound: it becomes difficult to ride, the rear doesn’t ‘stick’… but it’ll be the same for everyone, and whoever understands the tires best will win on Sunday”, the Spanish rider candidly reveals.
“I’m not sure which tire to use yet. This morning, after three laps on the medium, we were doing low 45s, and after 7-8 laps, we were lapping in the 45s… it’s important to understand this well. It’s 24 laps, so it’ll be a long race, and I’m still unsure about which tire to use”, Martin concludes.
Photo: Jorge Martin