MotoGP, race direction in Jorge Martin's sights: "I keep a weapon under my elbow, I hope not to use it and not to have to use it"

Jorge Martin left Misano with mixed feelings after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Although he failed to convert his great race into victory due to an aggressive last-lap overtake by Enea Bastianini, Pecco Bagnaia's crash has softened that disappointment by strengthening his position at the top of the MotoGP championship. The PRAMAC rider now has a 24-point lead heading into the Asian tour, a significant but not yet decisive margin.

At the end of the race, George Martin expressed his frustration with the maneuver of bastianini, which led to slight contact and pushed the championship leader off the track. Despite this, Martin chose to congratulate his opponent on the podium, thus showing a new maturity:

« In another time or with another driver, I would not have shaken his hand until a few days later. " confesses the Martinator. " I worked a lot on this ego, I congratulated him on his victory. I'm looking ahead, we have Indonesia this weekend and I'm focused on that »

To George Martin, this episode demonstrates a lack of consistency in the decisions of the Race Direction. According to him, bastianini should have given up the position after exceeding the track limits, as this is against the rules in force. He thus shares the opinion of Marc Marquez, who had criticised the race management for not investigating the incident:

Jorge Martin: “ My point of view is very similar to that of Marc Marquez »

« My point of view is very similar to that of Marc Marquez. » he mentions. “ I think there is no no coherence in the Race Direction. If the driver overtaking you goes off the track, it is contact and there should be a penalty. »

George Martin also highlighted how much he has worked on managing his emotions and ego over the years, indicating that he would have reacted differently a year or two ago. This ability to remain calm and not get carried away in the heat of the moment shows an increased maturity, essential in the race for the world title:

« If this had happened to me a year or two ago the situation would have been different in the parc fermé. Ego leads nowhere. We must be calm, aware of what can happen and of the magnitude that we currently have in our sport. " assures the Spaniard who nevertheless cracked a arm of honor on the finish line, which he quickly regretted and apologized for.

Despite the frustration of the incident, Jorge Martin warned that he was prepared to use this same "weapon" in the rule of engagement in the future if circumstances require it. In the absence of sanctions for exceeding bastianini, Martin feels justified in adopting the same strategy if necessary:

« It is clear that if in any situation I have to use it, the Race Direction will not be able to do anything.. It's a weapon I keep under my elbow, I hope I don't use it and don't have to use it. "... The framework is set...

With an advance of 24 points on bagnaia, Martin remains realistic about his position in the championship. He knows he must stay focused and avoid losing sight of his objectives, especially with 37 points at stake each weekend: " I want to focus on my riding. I think when I'm in that "mood" of focusing on myself, it's hard to stop me. »

The Asian tour, with its varied and often unpredictable circuits, represents a crucial challenge for Martin and its rivals. The championnat remains open and every mistake could be costly. With this psychological "weapon" in reserve and better control of one's emotions, Jorge Martin looks set to defend his leading position in this final stretch of the season MotoGP.