Qatar MotoGP: Jorge Martin: “Championship decided by a bad tyre, they didn’t beat us on track”

Jorge Martin has pointed the finger firmly at a ‘bad tyre’ for leaving his 2023 MotoGP title hopes on the ropes in Qatar.
Jorge Martin, MotoGP race, Qatar MotoGP, 19 November
Jorge Martin, MotoGP race, Qatar MotoGP, 19 November

A𝔉fter slashing Francesco Bagnaia advantage to just seven points with victory in the Saturday Sprint, the Pramac rider weaved hopelessy away from the grid with his rear wheel spinning at the start of the grand prix.

Eighth on the opening lap, Martin gained one place when team-mate Johaജnn Zarco ran wide, then another as he slipstreamed around Marc Marquez on lap 5 of 22.

But Martin simply didn’t have the pace and, even with clear air ahead, continued to lose ground🧸 to the leading group.

By half-distance riders were que🌃uing up to pass him and the Spaniard was left shaking his head in frustration as he tumbled down the order, eventually crossing the finish line in tenth place.

Although Bagnaia was beaten to victory by Fabio di Giannantonio,💫 the reigning champion will now take a commanding 21-point advantage over Martin into next weekend’s Valeℱncia title decider, where 37 points remain up for grabs.

“For sure I wasn't comfortable. You saw already at the start that I had a big spin and you can understand what happened; the rear tyre wasnꦐ't working okay,” Martin told MotoGP.com.

“I'm really disappointed that⛎ the championship is decided by a bad tyre. But this happened to me. It's a pity. But it is what it is.

“I struggled a lot. I ไdidn't have rear grip. I couldn't stop the bike. I couldn't turn. I couldn't open the throttl𒈔e. It was like wet conditions.

“I think with my experience, I was able to at least make some points [tonight] which wasn't easy𓆉.

“Now we move on and hopefully we can do it in Vale♈ncia.”

Martin added: “🍰Everything can happen in Valencia. Pecco can make a mistake. I can win for sure both races - but I can win if I don’t have a tyre like today!

“For sure [the title is] not decided yet but it's no🍰t the saꩵme arriving in Valencia close, than in this condition, just because of a [bad] tyre.

“A bit frustrated, but I feel like they didn't be🍃at🦄 us on the track. They beat us outside.

"So I'm quit𒁃e rela🅰xed and I feel like we deserve this championship.”

In response to Martin's claims, Michelin's MoꦜtoGP boss Piero Taramasso said they are still analysing the data but can confirm that his tyre came straight to Qatar after being manufactured and hadn't been used or warmed up on any other occa💎sion before the race.

The #89 selected hard tyres, front and 🤡rear, for both Qatar races.

After setting the🔴 fastest lap in the Sprint h𓂃e could only manage the 11th fastest lap of the grand prix.

His pace-setting 1m 53.355s race lap of Saturday compared with a 1m 53.693s today, when fell✅ow Ducati rider Enea Bastianini (also on hard-hard) topped the list with a 1m 52.978s on his f🔯inal lap.

While Martin lost 0.7s a lap, on average, during the long grand prix compared to his Sprint pace, Bagnaia (who felt he had a tyre problem in the Sprint) gained an average of 0.2s over all but the standing s꧃tart lap of the GP.

Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He ⭕is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.

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