Thomas Guigueno with AFP / Photo credits: GIGI SOLDANO / STUDIO MILAGRO / DPPI VIA AFP
Jorge Martin hasn’t said his last word! The Spaniard tried everything and won the sprint of the Valencia GP on Saturday, the last round of the season, delaying the announced victory of the Italian Francesco Bagnaia, only fifth.
The Ducati-Pramac rider thus confirmed that he is the undisputed master of sprints with a ninth victory this season in this exercise which allowed him to reduce his gap on the defending champion and championship leader from 21 to 14 points.
“The race was complicated but I managed to win, I had a lot of fun despite the pressure. It looks difficult for the title, but you have to believe in it until the end. The situation is better than yesterday (Friday). I’m going to try to win the race, that’s my only option, and hope that Pecco (Bagnaia) is in trouble,” Martin said.
Martin “dreamed of this title all [s]for life”
With 25 points at stake on Sunday, the Madrilenian will however still be condemned to the feat if he wants to create a surprise and defy the predictions. Even if he wins the Grand Prix on the Ricardo-Tormo circuit, Bagnaia will have to finish higher than fifth place. “I’m not the one who has the most to lose. I’m going to give everything to win the race and take risks because I have nothing to lose. I’ve dreamed of this title all my life. I haven’t never been so close, but at the same time I am far from it. I hope to get there but we must not have too many illusions and stay focused,” added the Spaniard.
Martin bounced back well during the sprint on Saturday afternoon after complicated qualifying at the end of the morning: nervous and author of several errors, he only took sixth place on the grid while Bagnaia, best time in the repechage (Q1) , went on to set the second fastest time in Q2.
Starting from the back of the second row, Martin, as is often the case, got off to a superb start to arrive at the first corner in third position, just behind Bagnaia. In the second lap, the Italian missed braking and the Madrilenian did not let the offering pass. Returning to the wheel of the South African leader Brad Binder (KTM) and the Spaniard Maverick Vinales (Aprilia), Martin opened the throttle wide in the eighth of 13 laps: he first overtook his compatriot in the first corner, before taking advantage of an error from Binder to take control and never let go again.
Bagnaia “remains confident”
Six-time world champion in the category Marc Marquez, who is competing in his last weekend with Honda after 11 seasons in MotoGP with the Japanese manufacturer, made a nice comeback to take third place after starting ninth. Vinales, who started on pole, fell back to fourth place. “I gave everything to try to get the podium. I pushed a lot, I almost fell several times, but I succeeded. I wanted it to thank my team,” said the Spaniard, in tears when receiving his medal.
Behind this quartet, Bagnaia managed his race to maintain his fifth place, resisting well the attacks of his compatriot Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati-Gresini), who had deprived him of victory last Sunday in Qatar by overtaking him three laps behind. the arrival.
“I made a mistake by choosing the medium tire at the rear. I lost a lot of time but I remain confident for Sunday because if I achieve the same result as today (Saturday), I will be champion. “We have a good pace in the race so I think I will be able to fight for the podium. We will both have pressure. The gap of 14 points is very small but we are still ahead so in the best position”, underlined the Italian.
The French did not shine during this sprint since Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), although third and therefore on the first row on the grid, finished only 9th, while Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), who started in 16th place, fell while overtaking Bagnaia while in fifth position after a superb start.
Bagnaia (Ducati) could retain his title if he finishes the race in the top five
Reigning Italian MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) could retain his title at the end of the Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday if he finishes the race in the top five.
Bagnaia is 14 lengths ahead of the Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac), the only one able to deprive him of the double, while there remains a maximum of 25 points to be distributed during the last Grand Prix of the season . Several other scenarios would allow the Italian to be crowned, while the chances of the title for the Spaniard are slim but still exist.
Bagnaia will win the world title on Sunday at the end of the Valencia Grand Prix if:
– He finishes among the first 5, regardless of Martin’s result.
– He finished between 6th and 10th place and Martin did not win.
– He finished between 11th and 14th place and Martin did not do better than 3rd.
– He finished 15th or worse and Martin did no better than 4th.
Martin will be crowned world champion on Sunday at the end of the Valencia Grand Prix if:
– He wins and Bagnaia does not do better than 6th.
– He finished 2nd and Bagnaia did not do better than 11th.
– He finished 3rd and Bagnaia did not do better than 15th.