Mick Doohan insists both Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin are “desperate” for the MotoGP title - but has assessed their different perspe🌳ctives.

Heading into this weekend’s penultimate round of the season😼 in Malaysia, Martin has a 17-point lead ahead of Bagnaia at the top of the championship.

But the entire season has been laden with errors from both riders meaning the finalꦡ two rounds will be on a knife-edge.

“It’🍸s close between Bagnaia and Marti🦂n,” motorcycle racing legend Doohan said.

“They are on the same bike in different colours.

“Both are desperate to continue on.

“Bagnaia is experienced now,💯 going ꦯfor his third championship.

“It’s really difficult to choose who’s going to do what. I don’t know whether it’s the tꦦyres or the character of the bike, but it seems easy to lose the front tyre grip now. Even if you🌃’re not doing too much wrong, it’ll fall.

“I’ve never been a gambling man so I can’t choose who will come𒈔 out on top, they are both very str𓂃ong.

“It’s exciting for the championship and I think it’ll go 💎to Valencia.”

Bagnaia bri𝐆ngs experience into the final two rounds, having won the championship twice already. On both occasions, he needed to do the ꦺbusiness at the final round in Valencia to secure the prize.

Martin, however, was denied harshly last♌ year and knows that next year he will leave 🦋behind the best bike on the grid.

Is experience or desperation more important?

“It’s ♔a difficult question to answer because Bagnaia knows what he’s got, doesn’t want to lose it. He wants t🌳o hang onto it,” Doohan said.

“Martin, last year, was close. He wants to achieve his goal. I was simiꦓlar to that a few times, as well.

“Who’s pushing the hardest? I’m not sure…

“Bagnaia knows what he’s got to lose so that will keep his motivated, and Martin knows he can’t make a 🌞mistake.”

The other factor, of course, is the 🃏intervention of other riv🅷als.

Marc Marquez ha🐲s been questioned repeatedly about what role he will play in the final two rounds, now tha💮t his own title dream has finished for the year.