MotoGP: Jorge Martin wins Australian sprint and his enthusiasm grows

The Spaniard crushed a short race on stage 17 to extend his lead over Pecco Bagnai to 16 points. And he can still do better in long-term competition.

Jorge Martin and Pecco Banaya, 2024 MotoGP title contenders, have completely different panoramas and realities at the Australian Grand Prix on the 17th of the 2024 financial year. The Spaniard arrived with a ten-point lead, which had been reduced at the previous event held in Japan. He had to strike hard to show that he had not felt the blow that had sent him staggering into Motegi. And on the second day at Phillip Island he launched a counter-attack that brought the two-time champion to his knees after a sensational sprint victory.

The fact that Martinator was the first to take pole position and won the short race three hours later did not surprise the Italian. The day before he expected his opponent in Australia to have something more. An old and knowledgeable fox, the Turin native sensed the Pramac Spaniard could make a difference and saved his main weapon for Thailand and Malaysia, the next two competitions where he believes the odds will be in his favor. The problem is trying to stop the bleeding in Australia first. Because in the sprint he was fourth and his pace was very far from being able to think about the podium. And this, in a competition that gives out the most points, could be a knockout blow in the fight for the crown.

Martin took the lead at the start and went away. I was able to lose everything only in the first corner, when Marc Marquez, who started second, suddenly came at him and almost hit him. “Jorge braked very hard in the first turn, and I misjudged him and almost caught him, so I went past and lost position.” admitted the eight-time world champion. The former Honda rider was the only one with speed to worry Martin, but his delay into Turn 1 saw him move up from eighth into second. The question remained, what would have happened if Mark had not lost so much in the first turn? The question could be revealed in the long race as they will be first and second on the grid again.

After this Martin left. He gained a three-second lead and ended up winning by half that light because he was a little cautious in the final corners. The strong wind blowing on the Australian island made him cautious. And Pecco? In the first laps he was second, but then Marquez overtook him, and then even his teammate did not forgive him: Enea Bastianini openly overtook him to snatch points that could be key in the final of this story called the championship. Of course, next year the Beast will move to KTM, and for the rest of the year he will only be looking to win a few races and try to finish third in the final standings, finishing close with Mark.

Martin went to bed in Australia glad that the difference, which was ten points when he woke up, had become 16.. And the long race looks a lot better for a Pramac rider than for an official Ducati rider. They’ll have to work hard at Pecco’s little table to try and mitigate the damage this Sunday as Groggy could leave Australia.