At Ducati, we are almost in a state of euphoria with this unexpected double on a Jerez track which until now had always been unwelcoming for its Desmosedici. Of course, before getting there, a Yamaha firmly established in the lead had to let go because of its rider struck down by compartment syndrome. But this performance is no accident either for the Italian firm which, during the first four Grands Prix of the season, saw its drivers take seven of the twelve places offered for the podium. But a family member was missing from the party. This is a Jorge Martin who is certainly champing at the bit from his bed of pain. Precisely, Ducati is thinking of him by assuring him that he will have all the time necessary to reveal himself.
The good things may have come too soon to George Martin. At the Grand Prix of Doha, he was sparkling, starting from pole position, leading 18 of the 22 laps of the race before still slipping to the third step of the podium. Not bad for a rookie MotoGP. Comparisons with Jorge Lorenzo et Marc Marquez exploded. Then came Portimao and the times anchor him at the back of the peloton. When he absolutely wanted to get out, he fell heavily. Seven fractures operated on later, he is convalescing and preparing a return which will not take place until Mugello at the end of May. A Ducati track if ever there was one…
In fact, the Spaniard might want to get back into dancing very quickly, and thus take new risks. Ducati suspects this, and wants to reassure his young driver through his sporting director Paolo Ciabatti : " you shouldn't put too much pressure on a beginner like Jorge Matin », declares the Italian. “ This could be detrimental to him. Jorge did an extraordinary job in Qatar. But it was a track where he practically learned to ride a MotoGP. At Losail he had five full days of testing and the first Grand Prix afterwards. It was certainly helpful to him. He will only be able to explore the remaining circuits with the Ducati from FP1 on Friday. He will not have ten more days of driving before Sunday's race ».
Ducati: “our bike is capable of fighting for podiums on all tracks”
Ciabatta adds: " The situation for rookies is not easy. I would certainly be more than happy if Jorge continues to surprise us in the next races. But let's be realistic. Above all, we don't want to put extra pressure on such a young driver who has a lot of time to adapt, gain experience and continue to get stronger. If he can do it quickly, we will be happy. If he takes more time, which is understandable, he will ».
Soothing words from the employer to his distinguished employee. Ciabatta ends his remarks on how he sees the rest of the season for his troops: “ we were competitive on all tracks last year, with our different drivers. There was only one exception, that was Aragon », recalls the sports director of Ducati. " That's why we are convinced that our bike is capable of fighting for podiums on all tracks. Even with different grip conditions. We learned a lot of lessons last year. So we are confident that we can be competitive everywhere in the 2021 season. But of course we have to wait and see if this hope comes true. We will see it later this year... ". The indication from Jerez was still quite strong…
