Jorge Martin made ‘a big change’ but lags behind Aprilias and KTMs without grip
“We tried a different set-up, a big change which normally w꧙e don’t do"
168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jorge Martin detailed the difficulties he faced with grip on ꦜFriday in Barcelona, which resulted in lagging behind the Aprilias and KTMs.
Pramac’s Martin was only sixth-fastest overall in Friday practice at the Catalunya MotoGP, 🌃with Francesco Bagnaia the qu💎ickest Ducati in fourth.
Aprilia’s Aleix😼 Espargaro finished ahead of KTM pair Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta.
But Martin did top the morning session and emerged pleased with how his♒ weekend has started.
Martin, knowing he would struggle with a lack of a grip in Barcelona, revealed afꦐterwards that the ༺attempted an uncharacteristic change.
“It was good,” he said about his practice session. “We had a lot of work to do today, I knew be🏅fore we started.
“We tried a different set-up, a b♛ig change which normally we don’t do.
“But, for this track, we needed to try something because the difference between Apri⛄lia, KTM and Ducati is big. We tried to close the gap.
“It worked good so I am glad we tried it.
“But, I didn’t und🍸erstand enough to push 100% in the time attack.
“I decided to go with the change in the time attack. Normally I prefer to go with my standard. I ⛎missed something.
“Tom🐻orrow, we have to understand how to be faster in the t♐ime attack.”
Martin explained w✃hy his Ducati is behind Aprilia and KTM: “I think we suffer more with grip. We are so fast but, when there is no grip, we struggle to transfer the weight.
“Then you can start moving the rear but you lose 𓆉in ot🌃her parts. We struggle more than Aprilia and KTM on tracks where there is no grip.”
He was asked if he agrees that the new tyres this season have more grip, and sometimes causeﷺ the rear tyre to push the front of the bike forwards.
“Tyres are better on the edge,” he answered. “I don’t know if it’s the bike or the tyres but it is work༺ing bet🀅ter.
“I can touch the throttle earlier. Instead♈ of last season when I touched the throttle and waꦜs already sliding. This was the main problem.”
Does Martin adjust his riding style to ꦉcompensate when there is a lackꦛ of grip?
“The technique? It’s complicated,” he said. “You neeꦆd t🌟o work a lot on your position on the bike.
“Not only on the seat but 🃏also with your shoulders. Sometimes opening to slide, the♛n closing to grip. Sliding, then grip…
“It’s not easy. I like it. You use your sk🅺ills inste🌠ad of just going full gas and the bike does everything.”
Martin entere🀅d this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP, the sixth rou🍷nd of the 2024 season, as the championship leader.
He is 38 points ahead of reigning champion Bagnaia, and 40 clear from Enea Bastianini and M☂arc Marquez.
Martin is also awaiting Ducati’s big decision about whether he will be promoted into their factoryꦐ team next year.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from Americℱan sports, to football, to F1.
