Jorge Martin gave Portimao a strong start to the second round of the 2024 MotoGP season, but the talented Pramac rider expected more when the time hunt opened. Known for its ability to establish a fast pace over a single lap, the Martinator found its improvement during Friday's crucial test on the soft tires less significant than expected.
Faced with a partially wet and dirty track, Jorge Martin shared his thoughts: “ on the normal trajectory, it was acceptable, but as soon as you go out a little, the risks increase. The conditions were not ideal for MotoGP, but the weather is out of our control. I hope to see an improvement tomorrow ».
Satisfied with the effectiveness of the different tires tested, George Martin believes he has the pace to be competitive this weekend. However, he is looking for increased performance, especially in qualifying, where a place on the front row is crucial.
Jorge Martin: “ we need to get back to our rhythm from last year. When this happens, I will immediately be the fastest »
« Overall, it's positive “, he commented. “ With the medium tires, I was among the fastest. But with the soft tires, I expected better. I thought they would offer more, but they didn't ».
Martin also addressed the issue of malignant vibrations, a major concern on the Ducati during the first race Qatar, but confirmed that the problem was resolved at Portimao, even if he felt a lack when entering the corners with the new bike: “ the vibrations disappeared, which allows me to concentrate on the settings. However, I have a little trouble entering corners and with changes of direction. I have excellent braking, but something is missing in fast corners. We need to get back to our pace from last year. When this happens, I will immediately be the fastest » he warns.
Then he concludes by assessing the forces involved: “ jhe thinks we are among the strongest in terms of rhythme, but we also need to improve. I think with Marc right now we are very similar in terms of rhythm et I think it will be good to have his data because I can investigate. But we know that then Enea arrives, it's also strong here, but it's clear that the Ducati are still the favorites. Well, I have to study hard to see where things can be improved.”
Martín don't forget the others...“The Yamahas are also very competitive and the KTMs are also doing pretty well, but in terms of pace I haven't seen. In the end, you have to fight against everyone. I will try to improve the whole topic a little. I think this will be the most important because the track is already difficult to overtake, but with the land there is, it's even more complicated because there is almost only one line to cover. So it will be an interesting race.
MotoGP Portugal J1: classification
Credit classification motogp.com
