MotoGP title rivals Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin are set to battle at Phillip Island this weekend, with each looking to move the two-point gap between them in the standings in his favour.
If consistency has been Martin’s main asset in his rise to the top of the championship standings, speed has been the cornerstone of Marquez’s challenge.
The Spaniard has clawed back the 102 points that separated him from the leader in just seven races, from Mugello to San Marino. The six wins secured by the #93 since that Italian Grand Prix, five of them as part of a sprint and grand prix double, stand in contrast to the #89’s solitary victory, at Le Mans. Martin’s consistency, however, is reflected in his nine podium finishes and five sprint wins.
The contrasting approaches have left the title fight wide open heading into the final stretch of the season, with Marco Bezzecchi also in the mix. The Aprilia rider sits 46 points behind his team-mate and 44 behind Marquez.
Asked directly about Martin’s main strength, Ducati’s spearhead pointed to his rival’s sheer speed, the quality that has made him one of the most explosive riders on the grid in recent years.
“Jorge is incredibly fast and, for me, one of his strengths is that he doesn’t think too much when he’s on the bike. He rides on instinct, although over the years he has started to think a little more,” the Catalan said, paying tribute to Martin during an extensive interview with Autosport in Australia this weekend.
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In the conversation, the multiple world champion also singled out one particular episode from two years ago that left a lasting impression on him: the 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix.
Martin arrived at Sepang leading the championship, with a 17-point advantage over Francesco Bagnaia. That margin grew to 29 points after the then Pramac rider won the sprint and the Italian crashed on lap three while chasing him.
The #63, who had shown the strongest race pace during practice, lined up on Sunday determined to make up for the previous day’s mistake as far as possible. Logic suggested that Martin would adopt a cautious approach in the race, with the prospect of heading to Barcelona to wrap up his first premier-class title the following weekend.
Instead, Marquez witnessed four explosive opening laps, featuring as many as nine overtaking moves between the two title contenders. Two weeks later, that battle would be etched into the mind of the man who was still chasing the championship at the time. Riding Gresini’s purple Ducati just behind them, Marquez watched a scrap that shaped his perception of the rider who now represents Aprilia.
“I remember the race in Malaysia in 2024, when Martin was fighting Pecco for the championship. Jorge had won the sprint and I had finished second. Even though he didn’t need to, Martin fought with him over the opening laps as if it were the last lap. That shows he acts on instinct, that he just attacks. And, for me, that’s one of his greatest virtues,” Marquez emphasised.
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