Let's talk MotoGP: Jorge Martín did everything backwards

Every season has its loser. And this year, the unfortunate MotoGP world vice-champion is none other than Jorge Martín, quite exceptional during the Sprints at the end of the season. However, it wasn't enough. Today, we are not going to focus on the entire exercise. First, because I tried to give an argued point of view on the different significant dynamics of 2023 in yesterday's episode - which I invite you to find by clicking here. Then, because the full year of the “Martinator” will be the subject of another analysis later. No, this evening I'm going to look at his Valencia weekend, because he did the opposite of what needed to be done.

Before starting, I simply point out that I do not claim to hold the key to being world champion. MotoGP. I am giving here a reasoned opinion based on historical precedents. Besides, as a great competitor, Jorge Martín knows without a doubt that his plan was not the right one a posteriori. I am not in the least minimizing his exceptional season, nor his unfailing determination. He is one of the best drivers in the world.

 

Misuse of psychological pressure

 

This analysis will be structured around two distinct points. Because his defeat at the world championship can be explained in this way, in my opinion. First, its Friday, a key passage in the plot of this outcome. During the tests, and in particular the Practice, he tried to use psychological pressure on Pecco Bagnaia, by not letting go of him, and forcing him, in fact, to go through Q1.

 

 

I'm a big supporter of this sometimes-maligned weapon, because I find that it adds tension during a season, and has a real impact. Unfortunately, it does not resonate with the times, which want to be more and more smooth and sanitized. Jorge Martín was right to use this form of pressure, but it was far too late.

I talked about it in an article not long ago; this year, as contested as it was, was not marked by rivalry. The “Martinator” never tried to verbally send Pecco Bagnaia to the ropes. On the contrary, we saw him congratulating his opponent even after a very heavy setback like in Sepang, where he took seven seconds in sight in addition to overtaking from the outside.

From this point of view, I think that trying to start a psychological war at the last Grand Prix, when he has to go up by 21 points, is more laughable than effective. Jorge Martín should have been more impactful, more lively, more in tune with his character on the bike for a long time now. He smelled blood in Japan seven races ago, but waited until practice for the last Grand Prix to bite.

I could take the 2015 season as an example, even more competitive.. Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi both played this little game, and we remember the special helmet decoration of “The Doctor” in Misano (the little but mischievous yellow fish chased by the cold shark), soon followed by the “shark” celebration of “Por Fuera” after his big victory in Aragon. Even if there was already latent tension between the two men, nothing stopped Jorge Martín from throwing this fight off the track. After all, what was he risking? To lose your contract? Ducati, with Enea Bastianini in difficulty, would never have dared to abandon such a rider. To offend his image? Maybe, but then, if that's why we no longer have rivalries, then the drivers give more importance to that than to a world championship title.

 

 

As long as it remains within the rules, all means are good to thwart the opponent. And I remind you that MotoGP is a sport that goes fast, in every sense of the word. No one can guarantee that the “Martinator” will, in his career, be a candidate for a world title again. I think he lacked panache on this point, and coming back to Valencia, I find it a shame to change strategy and wage a pseudo-war for the last Friday of the season. Nobody believed it, and certainly not Pecco Bagnaia, who reacted very well.

 

A race to forget

 

Psychological pressure does not always win a title. Jorge Lorenzo used it much more than Marc Márquez in 2013, and yet he lost. Like Valentino Rossi in 2015, even if this technique proved effective during his prime in the 2000s against Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau.

No, what wins a title is being better than the other on the track. And that was clearly not the case this weekend. Nothing to say during the Sprint; he was exceptional, flamboyant, making the right tire bet. As usual at the end of the year, he proved that he was the best in the short format.

But during the Grand Prix, it was a real failure. He started as favorite, we felt he was on top. But he never took advantage of this status to establish his domination. First, we saw him vigorously on the machine to regain places as quickly as possible. And once he was on Pecco Bagnaia's wheel, he had a complete hole at turn 1. As far as I can remember, this is the first time this has happened to him all season. In Germany as in Thailand, he proved that he could overcome the Italian in a duel. But this time, he did not anticipate the slipstream at the end of the short straight and was sent off the track. A known phenomenon, which affects everyone (including Bagnaia in Qatar behind Di Giannantonio), but which constitutes a pilot error. And now was not the time to make one.

 

 

Then afterwards, there is incomprehension. Given that it was Pecco's job to lose that title and not Martin's to win it, I don't understand why he was in such a rush to move back up the pack. He was clearly faster, and had over twenty laps remaining at the time of the crash. Furthermore, Pecco Bagnaia himself was behind at this point in the race. He wanted to do too much, too quickly. This is the definition of feverishness. This was fully illustrated when fighting Maverick Viñales. The Aprilia official did not want to give up the steak, and rightly so. At this precise moment, you could see the “Martinator” moving its head, as if annoyed by such resistance, in a hurry.

No point going back to the fall with friend Marc Márquez. Even if he didn't recognize it (which is even stranger), the fault is Martín's, and it would even have merited a penalty to be served during the first round of next season.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Jorge Martín did everything wrong in Valencia. First by trying to trigger a somewhat ridiculous psychological war so late in the season. This idea could have borne fruit against a discreet Pecco Bagnaia, if and only if the Spaniard had started it much earlier, as early as he felt the breach. Then, by attacking excessively, by rushing, by not respecting his character as well as his usually very clean and calm driving style. No need to blame him. He is young, and there is no doubt that he will succeed in bouncing back in the future.

What do you think ? Tell me in the comments!

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport