Jorge Martin fastest in the dry, ‘too risky to push’ in the wet

Spanish rider Jorge Martin has made a great start to the 2024 MotoGP season, leading free practice for the Qatar Grand Prix. On the first day of the race, Martin was fastest in the dry and stood out as a strong contender for the season.

The current runner-up performed remarkably well in practice in Lusaille, narrowly beating other experienced drivers such as Aleix Espargaro, Pedro Acosta and Marc Marquez. In a session where just one second separated the top 17 riders, Martin emphasized the tight balance in the premier motorcycle class.

In an interview with MotoGP.com, Martin shared his satisfaction with the performance of the team and the bike, indicating that not many changes are needed. He said: “We are all very close. It was a nice day, but we did a lot of laps during testing, so everything is ready. I don’t think we need to change too much on the bike.”

However, the scenario changed in the second meeting, when an unexpected storm forced the practice to be reclassified as free. With direct entry into Qualifier 2 moved to Saturday, Martin took caution on the wet track to finish 18th.

The Pramac Ducati rider explained his decision, stressing the risks involved in the difficult conditions. Martin said: “I thought it was a good decision [postponing direct entry to Qualifier 2 until Saturday]. It was too risky to go fast in those conditions. Besides, it didn’t matter, so it didn’t make sense.”

He cited difficulties with tires and visibility, common problems on wet tracks. But Martin expressed confidence in overcoming the challenges and said he would give the team feedback to improve in the next training session.

With a race win at the Qatar Sprint last November, Martin is emerging as a formidable competitor at the start of the season. His consistent performance in dry conditions and his adaptability in the rain show promising potential for the rest of MotoGP in Qatar.

Now, with the hope of dry weather on Saturday, Jorge Martin and his team are ready to aim for fast results tomorrow, in qualifying and in an exciting sprint, promising even more exciting moments this MotoGP season.